


The Eternal Adventure

by Kelkat9



Series: Time, Eternals and the Not Quite So Domestic LIfe [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Blood and Gore, Crochet, F/M, Gardens & Gardening, Giggling, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings, Romance, Violence, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-12-09
Packaged: 2018-06-05 20:08:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 56
Words: 248,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6721528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The Adventure Found Them. Life for Rose and TenII was never going to be easy, especially with Eternals in hot pursuit of them and all they hold dear. Maybe with a little luck and with the help of their clever and loyal friends, they may just survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There is explicit scenes later in the story thus the rating. I will warn in the notes of the chapter where those scenes appear. This story parallels the labors of Hercules re-imagined to fit this verse. I was inspired by many different cultures' mythology so this story is heavily loaded with various myths which I tweaked a bit. This is quite an adventure tale and very lengthy. I'm editing as I post it here as it was one of the first few things I wrote.
> 
> Chapt 1 is a bit fluffy but the story will eventually get a little darker and a bit twisty
> 
> TCB = Time Creature Below

A month had passed since the ominous events in the fountain. Rose and the Doctor had settled into Dutton Manor. Although, being the Doctor and Rose, nothing was ever that simple. Settling in for the Time Lord meant exploring each and every nook and cranny and pulling things out, examining them, and tossing them over his shoulder leaving a trail of debris throughout the house as he explored. The whole process nearly drove Rose spare, but at least it kept her busy and not worrying about orbs, eternals and prophetic dreams.

At one point, Rose reached her breaking point and the battle lines were drawn. It was decided for the sanity of everyone that certain areas of the house would be labeled Doctor, Rose or joint territories. The Doctor claimed the study, solarium, greenhouse, two of the six bedrooms and one bathroom. Rose, on the other hand, claimed the kitchen (for protection purposes only), most of the garden, two of the guest rooms, the master bath (although this would be slightly negotiable), sitting room and master closet. They both agreed to share the remaining bathrooms, master bedroom, remaining guest bedroom, dining room, game room, basement and attic. Rose wasn't really keen on the attic, but she feared for the safety of the roof if she let him have it exclusively.

For all the Doctor's complaints about domesticity and its diminishing effect on his Time Lord sensibilities, he handled it all quite well. Of course, the Doctor's tolerance for this process may have been due to the necessity of upgrading and modifying certain elements of the Manor to secure it from snooping aliens and governmental agencies. The Doctor enthusiastically dove into the project of working with the TCB -- maybe too enthusiastically.

It wasn't uncommon for the Doctor to disappear for almost an entire day as he spent endless hours crooning to the TCB; developing systems and mechanisms to support her as well as developing the greenhouse into a facility suitable for supporting TCB offspring. Of course, Rose was alongside him on many occasions and had developed her own relationship with the TCB. It wasn't unusual for Rose to get mental images from the TCB of Jackie slapping the Doctor. She soon realized the TCB would not tolerate the Doctor’s repetitive and unnecessary tinkering without some sort of repercussion to him. It tickled her, almost like a bit of gossip between the two of them. Although Rose enjoyed working with the Doctor, she was focused on making the Manor their home not to mention distracting Jackie from her plan to "help" them decorate and furnish their new home. Of course the day had come when Rose could no longer postpone the inevitable Jackie visit much to the Doctor's displeasure.

"Why does she have to come nooooow," the Doctor whined during breakfast.

"I can't put if off anymore. She just wants to see where we're living. That's all. After everything we went through to get this place, she's curious. You understand that right," Rose pleaded with him.

"Fine, I'll just be in the basement," the Doctor answered petulantly.

"Doctor, you have to come out and say hello. You don't have to stay. Just say hello."

The Doctor sighed. "Fine, I'll come up and say hello once the initial disparaging of our home is over."

"You don't know that she's coming over to complain. Maybe she'll like it," Rose answered hopefully. She was met with him snorting and rolling his eyes. 

"You’re right, it’s not exactly her style," Rose admitted.

"Just don't let her touch anything and we'll be fine," the Doctor said as he dashed off to the basement, jam covered toast still in his hand.

Later that morning, the dreaded visit arrived.

"Oh, Rose, couldn't you stop him," Jackie complained while staring at the entrance to the Manor with a look of horror on her face.

"Why would I do that? I love it," Rose told her with a huge smile on her face, pleased that they had found the exact shade of Tardis blue for their front doors.

"But Rose, it’s…blue, bright blue." Jackie winced.

Rose answered with a cheery "Yup."

Jackie threw up her hands and walked into the rich, dark wood paneled entry. She slowly made her way through examining the walls, parquet floors covered in old oriental rugs, old crystal chandelier and wall sconces. Eventually ventured into the living room which was filled with all manner and sorts of antique chairs, sofas and tables brimming with trinkets. She turned around in a circle, taking it all in followed closely by Rose.

"Oh, Rose, why didn't you let me help you. It’s so so.."

"Historic, lived in, homey," Rose supplied helpfully.

In her immaculate designer pantsuit, designer shoes and bag, Jackie shook her head. "That's not what I was thinking Rose. You know I could have Cynthia come over and do a walk through with you and make a few suggestions. Seriously look at the lighting in here. Dark and dreary doesn't suit you."

At that comment, the lights flickered, and Rose felt a change in the air. Unbeknownst to Jackie, she had just insulted the TCB who had done her best to make sure the Doctor and Rose were comfortable in the old manor. Rose immediately felt the TCB's hurt feelings and had heard enough.

"Mum, this is our home, and we love the old, musty feel of it. It’s lived in. The walls of this house have a story to them. We couldn't live in some glitzy, sterile place. It just wouldn't suit us."

"I'd say it's got more than just history," Jackie stepped away from the fireplace scrunching up her nose before looking back at her daughter. "Sweetheart, you don't have to live in something modern, but at least you could have something with lighting from this century," Jackie said as she ran her finger across some of the paneling on the wall, frowning at the dust on her finger. That was the instant that a war of wills was instigated between the Tyler matriarch and the TCB. Rose didn't know it, of course, but soon there would be no question in her mind -- the TCB had had enough.

"Why don't we have some tea in the kitchen," Rose suggested as she pulled Jackie out of the room. Unfortunately, things were about to get worse.

Upon entering the kitchen, Rose went to work making tea. Jackie walked over to the stove and frowned. "Rose, you can't be serious! Look at this place. That stove isn't fit for use, and what's that smell," Jackie commented while waving a hand in front of her nose.

"What smell, I don't smell anything." Rose just looked at her blankly while offering her a mug of tea.

"Oh, it’s worse than I thought," Jackie said, shaking her head as she gripped Rose’s forearm. "He's locked you up here for so long you can't see what a disaster this place is."

"Mum!' Rose exclaimed. All of a sudden Jackie's mug exploded, splashing tea all over her beautiful beige suit dripping down onto her classic pink pumps.

"Blimey!" Jackie yjumped up, grabbing at the closest kitchen towel to dry herself off. Rose looked down at the shattered tcup and then down at the floor. She focused on the TCB, apologizing and then asking her to settle down. Rose scooped up the broken mug and and asked Jackie if she was okay.

"Bloody haunted house! I swear, Rose, he did it just to spite me," Jackie answered indignantly before her face softened. "Sweetheart, at least let me get you some help in here, just for a good cleaning." Jackie looked at Rose pleadingly.

"Mum, I appreciate it, really, it’s just, the Doctor and I want to do it ourselves." Rose went over and gave Jackie a hug, trying to soothe her and make her understand.

"Tell you what," Rose said pulling away from Jackie. "I was about to talk to the Doctor about hiring some help for the garden. Maybe from the nearby village. If you want, you could help us with that." Rose hoped this would satisfy Jackie's determination to offer up assistance.

"Well, I suppose it's a start," Jackie said, eyeing the ceiling.

The door burst open and the Doctor bounced into the kitchen, "Do I smell tea?" he asked innocently. "Oh, hello Jackie, fancy seeing you here, uh, what happened to you?" He frowned at her tea stained clothing.

"What happened? I'll tell you what happened, my daughter was stolen away by an alien nutter who somehow convinced her to live in some haunted, dreary, dirty old manor in the back of beyond. That's what happened!" Jackie huffed and glared at him.

"Uh, okaaay, well, I'll just leave you two to enjoy your tea and head to the, uhh, Rose?" The Doctor turned to her, pleading for help.

Rose decided it was time for him to give her a hand. "Pantry to get cleaning supplies so you can dust the living room," she answered pointedly.

"Dust! Time Lords don't dust!" he answered haughtily.

Jackie crossed her arms with a snarl emerging on her face. The Doctor stepped back a step and tugged at his tie, realizing it was two Tylers against one uncomfortable time lord metacrisis.

"Dusting, right, I'll just head to the pantry and retrieve… what do you actually use to dust again, Rose?"

"Cleaning cloths, second shelf from the top on the left." Rose tamped down an amused giggle. She was rather looking forward to watching him actually clean instead of just puttering.

The Doctor disappeared into pantry and emerged with said cloths looking at them like they were some new form of life before scurrying out of the kitchen and away from the Jackie Tyler glare of doom.

Jackie shook her head. "I don't know how you live with him."

At the conclusion of Jackie's inspection, err, visit, Rose went into the living room to find the Doctor lying on the floor staring at the ceiling, sonic pointed at the ceiling.

"Doctor, what are you doing?"

"Dusting."

"Um, how 's lying on the floor with the sonic dusting?"

"Oh I automated the dusting rags which are controlled by setting 560B. You may want to duck."

Rose looked around and noticed several dusting cloths zipping about the walls and ducked just in time before she was hit in the face by one as it shot across the room. Rose found herself lying next to the Doctor watching the clothes dance about the room as they cleaned. She turned to him, "You mean I have been spending all this time scrubbing the house, when all it took was a sonic and a cleaning cloth?

"Well, no, of course not, you're leaving out the key element of my magnificent brain." The Doctor directed a manic smile at her. She couldn't stop her responding grin. His smiles did disarm her but still, she was a bit put out that he could have made this all so much easier not to mention cleaner. He officially put himself on cleaning duty from there on out.

Later that day as she was taking a rest in the solarium, Rose heard something fall off the roof into the garden. Heart pounding she jumped up with visions of the Doctor sliding off the roof. It wouldn't be the first time she'd found him cursing in the bushes after a tumble. This time however, Rose was relieved to not find an annoyed, banged up Time Lord. In fact, it took her a while to find what fell as the state of the garden was a mass of intertwined and overgrown greenery. Finally, a small rectangular blue glass butter dish with copper metal colored dots and lines etched into it caught her eye. Rose was about to retrieve it from the bird bath but hesitated. She couldn't help but think about the orb from the fountain and how much trouble that caused. Better to be safe than sorry. She went back into the house and picked up some salad tongs the Doctor had left laying around in the solarium, leftover no doubt from some experiment. 

Firmly grasping the tongs and holding her breath, she plucked the object from the bird bath. with the object clasped in the tongs in front of her, she walked toward the solarium. Until that is, she hit an invisible wall which she couldn't get past. Frowning, she stepped back and looked at the door and tried again with the same result. She turned to set the object down so she could call the Doctor when he burst out the door.

"What are you doing?" he shouted, his fingers grasping at his hair.

"Nothing," she responded with a shrug. "I just found this thing the garden and was going to bring it inside to look at it but then I couldn't get in the house. What's wrong?"

"Listen to me very carefully. Gently and I mean gently set the Xani mobilizer down over there in the garden," the Doctor answered, gaze firmly focused on the device before her.

Rose stilled before slowly backing up into the garden. She carefully set the object back where she found it and backed away holding the tongs in front of her defensively. The Doctor pulled out the sonic and waved it in the general direction of the Xani. Suddenly Rose felt her hair stand on end as a static charge raced over her.

"Doctor, what is that thing?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"That is a Xani mobilizer which super charges any electronic devices within a meter of it. If you had brought that into the house, it would have charged every mechanism in the house causing multiple explosions which would have been very bad."

"Where did it come from? I heard something fall off the house and found it sitting there." She collapsed onto a patio chair still holding the tongs.

"The rift was just active. It must have slipped through. I haven't gotten around to fine tuning the rift monitor to sound the alarm when something makes it through. You couldn't get in the house cause the TCB defense mechanisms were activated."

"You mean she can sense when something is dangerous and stop it from coming in the house?"

"Well, yes, sort of." He shrugged before walking toward the mechanism partially submerged in the bird bath.

"So because I was holding it, I couldn't get in either?"

"That's right." He turned toward her. "Uh, Rose, out of curiosity what’s with the tongs?" He scratched his head, looking at her questioningly.

"Oh." She stared at them before looking back at him. "I didn't want to touch it in case it exploded or imploded or stopped time or something. These were the first thing I grabbed in the house."

"Ahhhh," the Doctor responded. "Next time, do ya think you could just call me first?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm supposed to call you every time I find something in the garden that I don't know what it is?" Rose's voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Well, it would prevent problems like this or explosions, or, you know…."

Rose just stared at him, arching her right eyebrow. "Right, so when will the rift alarm be working?"

"Definitely this afternoon, maybe," the Doctor replied, walking up to the now neutralized Xani. As he poked at it, Rose walked up beside him.

"Ya know, it took me a while to find it in this jungle of a garden."

"Mmmm," was the Doctor's response.

"Maybe it's time we hired a gardener?"

"What, why do we need a gardener? Everything's growing just fine," he murmured poking his sonic at the device.

"Yes, but it needs some clean up and a gardener would know how to make it nice and keep the flowers blooming," Rose told him as she started caressing his arm.

"Rose, the flowers are blooming fine on their own and besides, it's green and growing. What more could you ask of a garden?" 

"Well, if it was a bit trimmed, we could have tea out here. And it would be nice in the summer if we could walk around some garden paths and enjoy some of the plants that are lost in all the vines and stuff," she said, smiling up at him.

The Doctor sighed and looked at the hopeful look in her eyes. "Fine, we'll find a gardener, but he or she has to pass muster with me and the TCB."

"Oh, thank you, Doctor!" Rose threw her arms around him. "Mum will be so pleased to be able to help us," Rose told him as she dashed off to make arrangements to begin interviewing potential gardeners from the local town.

"Mum will be happy? Wait a minute, what's Jackie got to do with this? Rose, Roooose!" He raced into the house after her.

dwdwdwdwdwdw

The next morning, Rose had several potential gardeners lined up for interviews. She decided to interview them in the garden and had a table set up in the small area that was moderately clearer than the overgrown bushes and vines that covered almost every other part of the garden. The Doctor, grudgingly agreed to sit in on the interviews.

The first applicant was a young 25-year-old girl with ginger hair and brown eyes who had just graduated with a degree in horticulture. She arrived for her interview in jeans and a green jumper with her hair in braids. She was exceedingly perky, almost annoyingly so. She immediately showed she could identify the species of plants surrounding the table and gave the scientific name for each as well as discussed pruning techniques. Rose was bored to tears and the Doctor kept sniffing her hair. Finally Rose kicked him under the table and he stopped. Afterwards, Rose asked him what he thought.

"Didn't you smell her hair?" the Doctor asked.

"Uh, no, why?"

"Sour milk, her hair was definitely infested with a gaggle of Kulotak parasites."

Rose just looked at him. "I'll mark her as a 'No' and put a note to call Torchwood and have 'em check her out."

Interviewee number two was a heavy set, middle-aged man who arrived in overalls, his long hair brown held back in a ponytail. He was very quiet and didn't talk unless a question was directed at him. Rose turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, do you have any questions for Mr. Simpson?"

"Yes. So tell me, Simpson, if a sentient vine began invading the garden, what method of control would you use?" Rose dropped her pen on the table and just stared at the Doctor.

Mr. Simpson very calmly told the Doctor he would pull out a sprayer with muriatic acid and douse any plant that exhibited threatening aggressive behavior toward the garden and besides, everyone knew that talking plants were evil. Rose very quickly thanked him and showed him out the door, releasing a sigh of relief when scary interviewee number two was gone.

The parade of interviewees was like a whose who of the odd, scary and perhaps slightly insane residents of an asylum. Only a few seemed somewhat normal people, but those deemed sane by Rose were quickly dismissed by the Doctor for one reason or another. Just when Rose was ready to give up, the doorbell rang. At the door was an elderly, pale man with white hair dressed in a light brown tweed coat and pants, wearing a green bow tie and walking with a wooden cane.

"Can I help you?" asked Rose.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm here for the gardener position. My name is Peregrinus Hortus."

"How do you do, Mr. Hortus." Rose shook his hand and immediately felt something different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Why don't we head into the garden and talk." As Rose led him through the house into the garden, she could definitely tell something was up as the TCB was humming a new tune. As soon as they walked into the garden, the Doctor perked up and stared intently at Mr. Hortus but then broke into a charming smile.

"Mr. Hortus, this is the Doctor," Rose introduced.

"Mr. Hortus, why don't we start off with you telling us about yourself. For instance, your name's a bit unique. Where exactly are you from?" the Doctor asked, getting straight into interview mode or perhaps that would be interrogator mode.

"It's a bit foreign, my family is not from this country," Mr. Hortus answered elusively.

"I'm sorry, I can't seem to find your resume, could you tell us your qualifications," Rose asked.

"Do forgive my forwardness, you don't have my resume. I only just heard about the opening and decided to pay you a visit and see if the position was still available. I have been working with all manner of plants all my life. You might say I have an affinity for them. May I show you?" he asked politely.

"All right," said the Doctor, his hand slipping into his pocket to grab the sonic.

Rose and the Doctor watched in amazement as Mr. Hortus walked over to a vine-engulfed bush and began whispering something to the foliage. He then lifted up some of the vine and right before their eyes, it was like the vine unwound itself from the rose bush it had been engulfing. Mr. Hortus gently set it on the ground. He turned to them with a gentle smile.

"Now then, Doctor, perhaps you would take your hand off your sonic device. It makes the plants a bit nervous."

The Doctor stood up, his shoulders rigid as he directed a stern look at Mr. Hortus. "You're not human, I've only seen one species with your abilities, but they’re extinct."

Mr. Hortus turned to Rose. "You are formerly of Torchwood. I am trusting you to not turn me in. You are known by certain individuals taking refuge on this world as a fair and honest creature. Please don't disappoint me, Ms. Tyler. I have come here as I was drawn to this place for what reason I do not know. I only know that I feel this is where I am meant to be."

The Doctor walked over to Mr. Hortus and looked at him intently. "How did you come to be on this world?"

"There was a war, and a few of us escaped by stowing away on a supply ship. We moved from world to world, losing ourselves and separating so that we could blend in among other races. Eventually, I found myself here and began taking positions which this species found menial. They don't pay attention to the people that care for their herbaceous species so I was able to successfully blend in. I moved frequently so my skills would not be too noticeable, but I grow weary of the need to constantly move and hide. If you will allow me the privilege to mentor the variety of growing species in this fertile space, I promise you my devotion and loyalty. I will not reveal your secrets, if you keep mine."

"Do you give me your word," the Doctor asked, his voice lowering as he stared Mr. Hortus in the eyes.

"Until the end of my days, I will keep you and all you hold dear, safe and secure," Mr. Hortus answered solemnly.

"Do you swear that on the holy ancient taproot of Verdana?" the Doctor asked.

"I swear," Mr. Hortus answered.

"Then we are agreed," the Doctor answered, smiling. "Welcome home. There is actually a small cottage the other side of the greenhouse. It's not much, but it's yours if you want."

"Thank you, it will do, I'm sure."

"So what should we call you?" Rose asked.

"Just call me Perry. My things are outside, shall I bring them in?"

"I'll give you a hand, Perry, we have much to discuss," answered the Doctor, walking with him to the door.

As the three of them walked to the entryway, they heard several loud knocks at the door. On the other side lay the beginning of another adventure.


	2. Knock Knock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This really picks up the Eternal part of the story. The following couple of chapters are very "through the looking glass" for Rose. Perry will be a character who appears throughout this story. The phrase "absolute power corrupts absolutely" is a paraphrase of something said by Lord John Dalberg-Acton in a letter to Bishop Creighton in the late 1800s.

At the entryway, Rose and Perry held back whilst the Doctor opened the door. 

"Hello, what are you?" the Doctor asked, pulling out his brainy specs and knelt down to get a better look at the curious object sitting on their doorstep. A glistening white cube the size of a grapefruit sat amongst Perry's luggage. As the Doctor focused on the cube, Rose and Perry stepped outside but could not find anyone who might have left it. When they returned, they found the Doctor sonic in in one hand, the other rubbing his face.

"Well, Doctor?" Rose said as she peered down at the cube.

"It's not local, that's for sure. I don't see anything dangerous about it. As a matter of fact, it doesn't have mass, a temporal signature, no radiation of any kind, no bio-electric reading, no psychic energy, no silica, and no DNA. It doesn't even register any sub atomic vibration. It's almost as if it doesn't exist."

"But it does exist, we can see it sitting there," responded Rose, pointing down at the cube.

"If it does not exist according to your instrument, perhaps it is the opposite of existence," suggested Perry, leaning on his wood cane.

"The opposite of existence, well, that would be just… brilliant!" exclaimed the Doctor as he bounced up and looked at Perry. "Oh, I knew I was going to like you!"

After they moved Perry's few belongings into the house to give the Doctor more room to work, he gathered a few loose bricks from outside the manor and stacked them around the cube. He then pulled some clear prisms out of his pocket and laid them on top of the bricks. "Rose, a glass of water please," he asked as he knelt close to the cube. With a shrug at Perry, she did as he asked and watched as he poured it over the cube while simultaneously sonicing the prisms which had the effect of creating what the Doctor called a reality maximizing field. When the water evaporated and the crystals turned a dark color, the Doctor proclaimed the project done. He reached down and picked up the cube, turning over in his hand.

"So what next?" Rose asked shoulder bumping her shoulder against the Doctor as she stared at the cube which didn't look very threatening.

"Let's see if the TCB will let us in with it."

"TCB?" asked Perry.

"We'll explain it to you later, Perry," Rose said while patting him on the shoulder.

The Doctor strode into the house with no problem. And the Doctor carried the cube into the library where he set it on his desk for further examination. Rose and Perry followed closely behind.

Just as the Doctor was pulling out more tools to examine it, the cube melted and reformed its shape into a pyramid.

"Well, that's wizard," the Doctor muttered tapping his sonic on his thigh as he walked around the old mahogany desk to look at the pyramid at every angle. 

"Rose, hand me the torch sitting on that shelf by Shakespeare, would you?" the Doctor asked, gesturing toward a book shelf near Rose.

Rose arched her brows at the numerous shelves lining the walls of the library. The room was just what one might expect in a historic mansion with wood floors lined with throw rugs; heavy antique furniture, miscellaneous bric-a-brac and a myriad of old and current books. It was in no order she understood and quite dusty. After running her fingers over several leather bound spines, she located Shakespeare and the torch. The black metal device was heavier than normal. Rose wondered if it was something he cobbled together as she handed it to him. 

He shined the blue tinged light at the pyramid which began to glow with a growing intensity until it melted, and rings of light floated up above where it had been sitting. Multiple rings of various sizes floated upward until they reached the ceiling. Within the rings gold symbols appeared. The Doctor walked reached upward toward a few still floating upward.

"Doctor, be careful," Rose warned, biting her lip nervously in anticipation of what might happen.

He barely touched the rings with his finger when they all disintegrated into a pile of sparkly dust on his desk.

"Well?" Rose asked, standing protectively near Perry.

"It's a message, specifically to us."

"Well, what does it say?"

The Doctor turned to Perry. "I'm sorry, Perry. but there's no reason to drag you into this. Perhaps we should show you to the guest cottage."

Perry smiled. "Of course, Doctor, I understand and thank you for your consideration. Perhaps one day soon, you will allow me to share your burden. I meant everything I swore to you. I will protect you and all you hold dear." After making his affirmation Perry nodded at them and left. Rose watched him leave, the only sound the click of his cane as he retrieved a few of his bags and went to the cottage. She was amazed as he walked through the garden past overgrown shrugs and vines that almost looked as if they moved and made a path for him.

When she returned to the library, she arched her brow at the Doctor. "What was all that about? I though you trusted him?"

"Actually, I rather think I do," the Doctor agreed, walking over to shut the door. "I meant what I said, there's no need to drag him into this. He could, without his knowledge, be used by certain forces who may have an interest in what this says."

"Certain forces who may have an interest in what he says?" Rose asked and crossed her arms. "All right, spill."

"This," He gestured toward the sparkling debris. "Is a bit of an invitation of sorts."

"An invitation to what?" Rose eyed the dust, her mind whirling with orbs and evil eternals.

"Well, since it appears we've been introduced to the eternal representative of Chaos, it only seems right that we have a bit of a tête-à-tête with Order's emissary."

"You mean some Eternal of Order just invited us to tea?" Rose asked, astonished.

"Yep."

"So are we going then? And if we are, when and exactly what does one wear to a tea with the Eternal of Order or his agent?" Rose wondered, looking down at her jeans, pink t-shirt and trainers while thinking to herself the Doctor's new light brown pinstripe suit would probably be perfect for tea with an Eternal.

"Wellll, its not exactly the Eternal of Order, more his lackey or his envoy. Oh, and I wouldn't worry about what you wear. They're not big on following human fashion."

"And we're doing this when?" Rose asked.

"Um, any minute now?"

"What!" Rose exclaimed at about the same time a white glow blinded her. When she opened her eyes squinting to see what happened, they were in a formal tea house surrounded with people enjoying high tea. The Doctor grabbed her hand and led them around the tables and people who didn't seem to notice them. They reached a back room and as he was about to knock, the door opened. Rose and the Doctor just stared when they realized the person who opened the door was none other than Ianto Jones, their solicitor.

"Doctor, Ms. Tyler, please come in." Ianto gestured them in toward a table and chairs.

Ianto was dressed once more in a well tailored conservative navy suit and didn't appear abnormal or eternal. As they looked around, they noticed that the room was meant to be a library with shelves filled with old leather bound books and smelled of a mix of old books and tea. Rose and the Doctor took a seat at a polished dark wood table.

While examining the room and its contents, they noticed a finely dressed lady in a silver and white linen dress. She had silver hair, gray eyes and a warm smile. She walked over and sat with Ianto opposite Rose and the Doctor.

"And you would be?" the Doctor asked the Lady in White.

"Come now Doctor, you better than anyone should know better than to ask that," she answered in a velvety voice.

"So how should we address you then?" Rose inquired.

"Well Rose, for simplicity's sake, why don't you call me Harmony."

"Oh, of course you are," Rose muttered sarcastically under her breath.

"Yes, well Harmony, thank you for inviting Rose and I to tea. Is there something you wanted to discuss?" the Doctor asked in his most charming voice.

"Doctor, you may be part human but surely you have not forgotten the social graces," Harmony chastised. "Now then I believe you take your tea with sugar and cream?" She poured each of them the perfect cup of tea. Rose mused that at least Order had proper manners.

"Thank you," the Doctor said and sipped his tea, humming in appreciation. "And speaking of social graces, under what rule of etiquette is inviting us to tea via mysterious cube? And especially one that does not truly exist until we make it so transporting us directly here without any further discussion and…oh, are those almond cakes, I love almond cakes!" The Doctor reached for the white frosted cake whilst Rose smacked his hand muttering about manners.

After Harmony served them a variety of sandwiches and sweets, Rose decided it was time for some information.

"I don't mean to be rude, but Mr. Jones, what is your role here?" Rose asked, delicately holding the intricate flower patterned china tea cup.

"I am merely an intermediary to this discussion," he responded smoothly. "My only interest is assuring the neutrality of Earth in any discussions to resolve any potential conflicts of a non-terrestrial manner. In this regard, I do not represent either you, Ms. Tyler, the Doctor, nor do I represent Harmony."

"And what about Torchwood or the United Planetary Council, do they have any knowledge or part in this?" Rose asked, worried they had unintentionally instigated a planetary disaster.

"No, Ms. Tyler, they are not part of this and I do not represent their interests should they have any in this matter. I should like to point out that his entire meeting is confidential by all parties and shall not be disclosed outside of this room by any of us. Does that answer your question?" Ianto asked in his calm voice.

"Yeah, thanks," Rose answered not feeling any better.

"Well then, as we have now clarified Ianto's presence, we shall proceed to the matter at hand." Harmony announced. "It would appear, Doctor, Rose that you have in your possession an object of great value to certain individuals. This object could be characterized as dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. I believe that you already have learned this. I also believe that you may have been contacted by an interested party who would like to acquire it."

"Yeah, he never told us who he was but he made real clear to me he wanted it no matter what. He attacked the Doctor and threatened me," Rose answered her.

"Yes, well, unfortunately, the party that individual represents has rather unsavory methods," Harmony answered, her smile fading a bit.

"So why did he need me? Why couldn't' he go get it himself?" Rose asked.

Harmony smiled at Rose. "Everything I've heard about you is accurate. You are very perceptive. To answer your question, there are certain rules we all must follow. These rules may be slightly bent on occasion but that particular action is strictly prohibited."

"What she's trying to say, Rose, is that an Eternal and any of its immortal lackeys or agents are not suppose to take a direct action to interfere in the younger races, particularly mortal races," The Doctor elaborated. "They can influence, but can't touch. So the answer to your question is he could influence you to do something with the object in question, say bring it to him and put it in an object or place it for him. But he could not out right pick it up and move it himself. You did say he said it was stolen from him -- probably by the very people he was trying to influence to take some action for him," the Doctor expounded.

"He told you it was stolen, did he." Harmony raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, he said it was stolen and he wanted it back. I wouldn't give it to him. He hurt the Doctor and for all I knew, he had evil intentions for it," Rose stated firmly.

"Your instincts are quite correct," Harmony affirmed. "If you had brought him the object, he would have used you to do great harm. You would not have escaped the encounter unscathed."

"I take it that you have some suggestion of what you would like to happen to this object?" the Doctor asked.

Harmony smiled. "My associates and I would prefer that the previously inquiring party not acquire this special object. We trust that you and Rose will assure that it remains secure and kept from those with nefarious purposes."

"How are we suppose to do that? You lot are the Eternals, isn't this your problem?" Rose asked in a perturbed tone.

"Rose, Harmony is right." The Doctor nodded his head. "Neither side should have the orb. If one side was to gain access to an item that is not only intrinsically powerful but capable of enhancing certain abilities or effecting or controlling time; or perhaps even piercing the Void itself, it would create an imbalance of power causing the struggle that already exists to escalate. There is no doubt in my mind that this would have an effect on not only earth, but all of the younger races and could alter this reality and the development of all sentient life."

So, you're saying absolute power corrupts absolutely," Rose suggested tentatively.

"Oh, yes, without a doubt," the Doctor said as he stared intently at Harmony. "Do you have any suggestion for how we neutralize this object."

"I'm afraid, Doctor, that I am not permitted to comment on that. All I can say is that you and Rose have everything you need to do what must be done. This is your task to fulfill as you will."

"But this Eternal Chaos bloke, how are we suppose to stand up to someone who could unmake us in the blink of an eye?" Rose demanded of Harmony, shifting in her seat at the thought of what the Eternals asked of them.

"As, I've said there are rules that must be followed and etiquette that all must respect. As I recall you seem to have no problems facing invincible adversaries, insurmountable odds, overcoming impossible tasks or bending the rules to suit your needs," she stated with a tilt of her head.

"Maybe we have and maybe we've been lucky, Rose countered. "But it doesn't seem to me that someone who is called the Eternal of Chaos would be all that concerned with etiquette or rules. Isn't he all about not following the rules?" 

"Rose has a point," the Doctor agreed, tapping his finger on the side of his tea cup. "May we rely on any other Eternals to step in should there be a violation of this code of ethics? Or is it your intention to fob him off and force us to clean up this mess?" The Doctor was quickly losing patience.

Harmony stared intently at the Doctor. "You know all you need to know. This meeting was simply to assure that you understand your role and to advise you that there are many with interests in the outcome of these events. The internal matters of Eternals do not concern you." Harmony rose from the table. "Doctor, Rose, it has been a pleasure to finally meet you and I look forward to the time our paths will cross again one day."

Before the Doctor could raise his objections at their abrupt dismissal, they found themselves back in the library at Dutton Manor.

Rose paced and nervously swept her hair behind her ear. "I don't like this. I don't like any of this. It's not right or fair to stick us in the middle of their problems. I mean, what are we gonna do?" Rose wrapped her arms around her self and walked over to a window to look out at the garden. The Doctor followed and wrapped his arms around her.

"It'll be all right. We know that any action taken by Chaos is being observed by more than just us. If the Eternals adhere to these rules which have governed them since well, the beginning, then this becomes a matter of strategy and making intelligent choices. We are far too clever to allow ourselves to be manipulated by some cranky chaotic eternal," the Doctor told Rose as he gently kissed her neck as he too gazed into the garden contemplating the conflict in which they now found themselves.

dwdwdwdwdwdwd

A week after tea with Harmony, the improvement to the garden was already evident. Rose could see the beginnings of pathways meandering through the greenery and even a few blooms bursting forth seeking out the sun. Perry was tilling the soil in one of the beds removing invasive species which were strangling the native plants. Rose and the Doctor were in the greenhouse continuing to upgrade and install the necessary irrigation and nutrient devices to supplement the TCB offspring. Rose was working on adjusting a control panel that regulated temperature and light while the Doctor was at the top of scaffolding modifying the properties of the glass roof of the greenhouse.

Rose's relationship with the TCB had continued to mature and deepen and she could feel a hum in her mind all the time. She often visualized images and even felt the TCB in her dreams. Usually these images were pleasant and conveyed a message of happiness, anticipation or contentment; but there were other times when the images were disturbing or were terrible nightmares. Rose never told the Doctor about any of it thinking it was just part of everything they were doing.

After sonicing some of the glass roof, the Doctor looked down at Rose and for a moment just sat there watching her work with a feeling of contentment. He always knew she was brilliant and she had learned the concepts necessary to help him in the greenhouse with eagerness and alacrity. One of the things he loved about her was her curiosity and desire to learn new things. As he mused about his good fortune in landing in this world and the opportunity to enjoy such a close relationship with Rose, he heard her muttering under her breath.

"Everything all right down there?" he shouted down toward her.

"Yeah, ‘m fine," she answered.

He heard her continue to mutter and saw her gesturing her hands as she worked. He climbed down the scaffolding and walked over to her.

"Having a nice conversation with yourself, are you?" He asked with a slight chuckle.

"What?" Rose looked up at him, her brow furrowed.

"Well, you seem to be having a right dandy of a conversation with yourself or is it your trying to talk the control panel into the modification?" he asked with a smile.

"I don't know what you mean," Rose answered primly and looked down at the panel.

"I mean, you don't usually get so involved with the mechanics of things. Is something wrong? Do you need help?"

"I don't need help. Everything's fine. I'm just here working. Why are you so concerned?" Rose asked.

"You muttering is all," he answered, trying to figure her out.

"Was I? I didn't realize. It’s nothing," Rose answered automatically.

"Hmmm," was the only response from the Doctor. He knelt next to her and peered over her shoulder as she worked.

"Doctor, were you needing something?" Rose's voice was tight with an annoyed pitch.

"Just seeing how you're coming along. You sure everything's all right?" His instincts were tingling as he watched her. Something seemed off but he couldn't put his finger on it. He was sure he was missing something.

"Look if you want to finish it, all you had to do was say so," she snipped at him and stood up. "I'll go inside and make some tea for us."

On that note, she dropped her tools and walked out of the greenhouse, leaving an annoyed Doctor behind. The Doctor picked up the spanner and stared at it as if it could explain the oddness in his Rose's behavior. 

As Rose stomped out of the Greenhouse stewing about over controlling Time Lords, she passed Perry, who stopped and greeted her.

"You know in a garden, it's important for the plants to establish a stable root system before attempting to encourage blossoms and leaves to grow," he said. "Using the proper amount of fertilizer, water and light along with utilizing a method to protect tender new roots from attack by insects and disease is crucial in the development of a healthy plant." 

Stunned at his simple observation, it shook her out of her annoyance at the Doctor. "Yeah Perry, that sounds about right. It's not easy, though, is it?"

"No," he responded with a soft smile on his pale face. "But the reward of green vibrant leaves and vividly colored blossoms is worth the extra time and effort one puts into assuring a healthy basis or foundation for growth."

Warmth bloomed in her and a smile burst forth. There was something soothing about their gardener that always left Rose feeling comforted. She thanked Perry, and asked if she could bring him tea or a cool drink. He assured her he was well hydrated and suggested she try the new brand of herbal tea he found in town at the new café. She nodded and headed to the kitchen.

As Rose was brewing the tea, she thought about the Doctor and the TCB. She and the Doctor had been a little out of sorts since the tea with Harmony. She kept getting a bad feeling like something was about to happen but every time she tried to talk to him about it, he always told her not to worry, they would be fine. The problem was she kept having dreams where everything was not fine. But she could never remember the details in the morning only bad feelings and whisps of memories. It was almost like she was shrouded in a sense of dread. Perhaps it was time she talked to the Doctor about the dreams. She was beginning to worry maybe she was having an adverse reaction to the TCB. That thought scared her. She didn't want to lose her new friend and was afraid the Doctor might try and stop them from communicating. The TCB didn't want this either and communicated this to Rose by showing her visions of dark stormy skies and withering flowers. 

She poured tea for both of them and was preparing a tray when she turned around and found the Doctor standing in the doorway staring at her.

"Doctor, you startled me!" Rose chastised him.

"What have you done?" he asked in an unhappy tone.

"What have I done? What do you mean?" Rose asked, truly puzzled.

The Doctor walked over until he was right in front of her. "The panel in the greenhouse, you configured it differently than I asked," His voice was cold as he narrowed his eyes at her. "As a matter of fact, you made it more efficient. You had no idea what it was this morning. There is no way you could have done this on your own. I want you to tell me what's going on."

"You're angry with me!" she exclaimed. "And I haven't a clue what you're talking about. I just did what you asked. There was no thinking involved. There's no reason to be so cross with me, really, Doctor. I mean if you don't like it, fix it." Rose set the tray down on the kitchen table and crossed her arms directing her own annoyed glare at him.

The Doctor sighed and scrubbed at his face. "Rose, something is wrong. You're brilliant but you did something you couldn't possibly do which means that something's happened to you and what really makes me unhappy is that I think you know and aren't telling me. I thought we were passed this -- that you trusted me."

"I do trust you," Rose answered her insides twisting up as fear clawed at her. She turned and paced the length of the kitchen. "Doctor, it’s just.."

Before Rose could finish, an alarm bell sounded followed by several thumps. Rose and the Doctor raced into the game room where they thought they heard the noise.

"That was the rift alarm," the Doctor informed her. "Something's come through the rift but that alarm should have given us notice before anything got through," the Doctor told her while pulling out the sonic and scanning for residual rift energy. Rose followed behind him when something caught her eye. She walked over to a book that was laying on the floor. It was quite large and heavy looking with a dark green cover and black writing on it.

"Doctor, what's this?" Rose asked as she picked it up.

"Rose, no!" he yelled, but it was too late. Rose had vanished.


	3. Neither Here Nor There

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose gets up close and personal with some Eternals.

The first thing Rose noticed was the scent of orange blossoms. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around to determine where she was. As she focused, she realized she was on a patio in a garden area. Sunlight warmed her skin but couldn't see any sun in the sky. The sky was an odd mixture of blue and yellow swirled together like a Vincent Van Gogh painting.

She sat up on the the lounge chair and scanned the patio. Several empty white iron tables and chairs dotted the paved area and she could hear the tinkling of wind chimes blowing in the breeze mixed with voices in the distance. She was not at Dutton Manor.

Torchwood training dictated she assess herself and the area before acting. Old habits post dimension jump kicked in as she examined her condition. Once she determined she was unharmed, she cautiously stood up. Nothing stirred and it appeared she was alone but she still heard voices in the distance.

Not one to wait for an invitation, Rose set out over a green grass covered hill toward the voices. As she crested the hill, she could see an ornate white Gazebo in the distance and people playing some sort of game in the grass around it. With a determination to get answers she walked straight toward them.

"Hello, excuse me, could you tell me where I am?" Rose asked the group dressed in clothes appropriate for a summer party.

At first, no one answered her and continued playing a game that looked like croquet. After someone hit the ball and there was much quite chatter, a young woman with curly light brown hair in a mint green sundress and a large white straw hat walked over to Rose.

"Good day to you, Rose Tyler," the young woman said in a bubbly warm voice. "I hope you are feeling well."

"Ah yeah fine, just peachy, um where am I exactly?" Rose asked, darting looks around the group.

"You are not exactly anywhere," the woman answered with an amused lilt to her voice. "I suppose from a linear three dimensional perspective, you are in between or in what your kind may call a nether world," the young woman answered.

"Right, nether world," Rose acknowledged, nodding her head feeling the first tingle of fear. "And how did I get here and who are you?"

The young woman laughed. "Well those are interesting questions for sure. I suppose you could call me Jubilee."

"Jubilee, yeah that's pretty." Rose cocked her head to the side. "I don't suppose you know someone called Harmony?" A memory ticked at the back of her mind -- and the word Eternals taunted her.

Jubilee laughed and clapped her hands, "Oh yes, yes, you are so good, Rose. Come, let's have some biscuits and lemonade! Oh I just knew we'd get along smashingly!"

Jubilee dragged Rose over to a table with refreshments on it. While Jubilee poured, Rose was approached by a young man with light brown hair and golden brown eyes in a yellow jumper and casual khakis. He stood quietly next to her. When Jubilee handed Rose a glass of lemonade, he spoke.

"You’re not as tall as I thought you'd be."

"Sorry?" Rose furrowed her brow at the odd statement.

"Oh really, must you be so solemn, this is a bit of party," Jubilee chastised the young man.

Rose stood with a glass of lemonade in her hand looking back and forth between Jubilee and the young man. Suddenly there was a commotion among the people playing croquet. Balls were flying everywhere and a mallet flew through the air and smashed into the pitcher of lemonade.

"Oh sorry about that, he's one of _those kind_ you know," Jubilee confided and winked at her. "They always need to be the center of attention and make noise," Jubilee said and shook her head. "Honestly, there are so many better ways, like dancing and singing. I'd much rather garner attention by being the life of the party," Jubilee said smiling and spinning in place with glee.

The young man next to Rose spoke. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Wait a minute," Rose said, fingers tightly gripping her lemonade. "Why am I suppose to be here long enough to get used to anything. I don't even know where here is or how I got here or why I'm here and by the way, I don't even know who you are?"

"Gee Rose, those are all lot of questions," Jubilee commented before dashing off.

"You can call me Never," he said.

"Okkaaaay," Rose answered not feeling the situation was any clearer to her. "Well Never, it seems to me that I was in my home having a bit of a tiff with the Doctor and something happened. I touched this book that came through the rift and now I'm here which according to Jubilee is the netherworld. Have I got that right?" Rose asked.

Never smiled, "Your journey was diverted a bit. Havoc wanted a word alone with your Doctor and an opportunity presented itself to remove you. Some of us aren't very fond of Havoc and thought you might make a nice addition to the party. So we may have what you would call "tinkered a bit" with his plan." Never smirked and rocked back on his heels.

"I take it if you hadn't, I might be in a less than pleasant spot," Rose said a bit worried.

Never smiled a bit more, "You tackled him to the ground, refused him and you might have bruised his pride. Havoc's favorite places would not be fitting of the Bad Wolf, the child of time who promised her Doctor forever. Besides, you invoked me once or twice. I like you and I don't like Havoc so I voted we invite you to our little gathering," Never shrugged and turned back to the game.

Rose felt a hand on her arm and turned to see a woman of Indian descent dressed in a blue sari with her beautiful shiny black hair arranged in an elaborate design.

"Rose, you should join us.  We would love for you to play," the Indian woman asked.

"And what do I call you?" asked Rose.

"Faith, you and I know each other well,"  The Indian woman said and smiled brightly, 

Rose looked at her for a long time before responding. "Yeah, I think we do. So what game are you playing? It looks like croquet."

"I suppose you could call it that," Faith answered.

Rose was given a pink colored mallet and a white ball with a pink stripe. The group began to gather around her. A tall young girl with a short black pixie haircut, wearing a white mini skirt with a bright purple sweater and white knee high boots stepped forward and told Rose to call her Jinx. She of course had a mischievous quality about her.

Next, a David Bowie look a like dressed all in black leather, with a single gold ring dangling from his right ear wearing black gloves approached. He looked her up and down,

"Best call me Discord and even better, stay out of my way, annoying little mortal." He turned and walked away complaining under his breath about inviting riff raff to the party.

Not long after he departed, a sandy haired man dressed in Jeans and a light blue polo bounded up to her with a very charming smile, "Turmoil, looking forward to spending more time with you pretty Wolf. You and I could really have some fun," he said with an amused voice and a wink.

Rose backed away a until she bumped into an older woman, about her mum's age with ginger hair pinned up on her head. She had green eyes and was wearing a peach colored sun dress. She smiled at Rose.

"I am Hope. Please Rose, don't let them intimidate you. We normally only have ourselves to keep us company. Your presence may be inspiring certain reactions. Come, you can be my partner. It's not like we aren't already best friends," she smiled and put her arm through Rose's and walked her over to the playing field. Rose allowed herself to be led away all the while feeling an ache form in her chest. Nothing made sense except she was in danger in a land inhabited by Eternals and the Doctor was being confronted by the Eternal she'd pissed off. They were both in so much trouble.

"So what are the rules," Rose asked? Discord glared at her.

"Typical puny, little mortal always trying to force everything into some boring simplified rational context!" he shouted at her.

"Gee Rose, I think he likes you! Normally he wouldn't give a care about anything a mortal thinks, but then you are no typical mortal," Faith said laughing at Discord.

"Excellent," was Turmoil's response to Discord's outburst. "I knew it would be fun bringing you here. You and I walk alongside each other so much I am practically your shadow. You never disappoint."

"Rules are meant to be broken," chirped in Jinx.

"Don't worry Rose, I'll help you as we play," Hope said softly.

Rose was wavering between fear and amusement at the whole insane situation. They wanted her to play a game. The question in Rose's mind was: "what exactly was this game?"

dwdwdwdwdwdw

Meanwhile back at Dutton Manor, a horrified Time Lord Metacrisis was about to rip apart time and space to retrieve his missing Rose. Cold terror shivered through him when Rose disappeared. He scanned the whole room three times trying to find some trace of the force or entity that took her. The only thing he could determine was that an anomalous rip in time and space had opened up and Rose fell through.

As he madly tried to track where Rose had gone, he suddenly heard someone whistling a happy tune. He stood up from kneeling behind the sofa tracking the residual rift energy and looked over to a wing back chair which now contained a lounging well dressed man who waved at him.

"Who are you?" the Doctor demanded.

"So Doctor how does it feel to have something important stolen from you?" the dark haired stranger drawled.

"I'm not going to ask again, Identify yourself," the Doctor demanded aiming his sonic at the menacing stranger who laughed in response.

"Oh do put that thing away! It's not like you could harm me." He sighed when the Doctor refused to comply. "Oh very well, I suppose we won't get anywhere until I satisfy this irrational need for a label. You may call me Havoc."

"You're the one that attacked me and tried to manipulate Rose at the fountain, aren't you," the Doctor said while lowering his sonic. "What have you done to Rose?"

"As I said, it's most unpleasant when something you desire is stolen," Havoc responded and steepled his hands.  "Feels frustrating doesn't it." he said coldly before rising up from the chair and dusted off his suit coat.

"She should have done as I asked and you wouldn't be in this situation. I may have even have stacked things in your favor," he said mysteriously as he pulled a small replica of a phone box from his pocket and rolled it in his hand.

"Where is Rose," the Doctor asked in a low, dangerous voice, his eyes turning dark which to anyone else would be terrifying.

"Ah, there he is!" Havoc growled. "You're the one I want to talk to -- the Oncoming Storm, the Dark Lord, the Time Lord Victorious! Yes, you always had potential and then you had to meet that meddlesome little blonde who ruined everything. Although, I should thank you," He purred.  "Without you, her true potential for...shall we say destruction, would never have been released."

The Doctor's anger diminished at that comment. A deep seeded sadness and guilt overwhelmed him at the thought that he may have cultivated any darkness in his Rose.

"Oh come now Doctor, all mortals have an inherent darkness in them," Havoc stated walking around the room poking at various items.  "All it takes is the right circumstances for it to flourish. Say, the man you love is about to die so you commit some useless act of self sacrifice in a battle against his ancient enemy; or maybe you are separated from your lover never to see him again, knowing that he will continue on alone. Seems those circumstances would trigger any mortal to make certain choices the consequences of which will haunt them for the remainder of their life," Havoc said with glee as the Doctor slumped inward at each pointed comment.

"Right, if you're done with the pathetic attempt at manipulating my emotions, where is Rose and what is it you want from me?"

"Why do you really care about her?" Havock asked knocking a crystal paper weight off a table.  "She's been keeping secrets from you. You know you can't trust her." He snickered as he continued to subtly build on the Doctor's insecurity.  "Why don't you let her stew a bit. I mean really Doctor, why bring the little deceiver back here so she can dupe you some more with fluttering eyes and a sweet voice. Wouldn't it be better for her to learn a lesson about not trusting you?"

He sidled closer to the Doctor, dark shadows stretching across the room behind him.

"Shouldn't she have asked you before picking up some mysterious tome? Didn't you tell her she should ask you first before touching anything? Why would you want the little liar back, well other than she is a pretty little thing isn't she?"

"You might as well stop right there," the Doctor responded in a tight voice, crossing his arms.  "I know Rose and I know that she picked up the book to help me. It's as simple as that and anything that Rose and I were discussing before this little intrusion doesn't concern you." The Doctor walked over to stand before Havoc. He knew Havoc was trying to goad him, make him angry enough to act irrationally. For Rose's sake, he needed to remain calm, dead calm.

"Fine, be oblivious to the truth," Havock stated with a snarl.  "I suppose for a former Time Lord with the ability to go wherever, whenever he chose, you must need to rationalize this existence and learn to settle to this new, earthbound mortal captivity -- to learn to be less." He stated with distaste

"Oh but you're wrong. I'm not less, I'm more," the Doctor said in a deep assured voice.  "Perhaps I don't have a TARDIS right now, but I accept that as a challenge. Only a fool would sit around moping over what he lost instead of appreciating all that he has, living the adventure this world has to offer; marveling at the potential of the creatures of this world learning from their fortitude, persistence and determination. Other me may be fully Time Lord and have the TARDIS, but I have something much more valuable, Rose. You seem to be underestimating her. You should be careful, overconfidence and careless disregard are fatal flaws," the Doctor lectured as he shadowed Havoc's path around the room.

"As amusing as this little conversation is, perhaps we should get down to business," Havock stated ignoring the Doctor's attempt at insulting him.  "I would like to offer you an opportunity. What if you could be full Time Lord, have a TARDIS and Rose?"

"Ah yes here it is," the Doctor said with with a bitter tone.  "You offer me all of time and space plus Rose and I 'm suppose to give you in return some sort of favor?"

"Well let's just say that I would be very, very grateful if you could assist me with a little project and in return, you get back your former life, including Rose, and to sweeten the deal, let's say Rose's life was extended to match yours; and maybe you could have the ability to pop back and forth across universes," Havoc offered.  "It might be amusing and enjoyable for you to show that sanctimonious other you what he lost. Just think about it. You get it all and the satisfaction that you're the winner," Havoc emphasized. 

"Your counterpart seems to have had a bit of a revelation of that lately. He seems to be coming to the conclusion that he didn't just survive, he won and all of time and space is his to do with as he pleases. It's quite riveting to watch him on his path of destruction.  That is, until certain annoying parties interfered."

The Doctor was choked with horror at the thought that other him had fallen into such darkness. He realized this was the path without Rose, without someone there to stop him. Havoc may think he was enticing the Doctor, but in truth, he just firmed his resolve to keep Rose safe and to not fall into the darkness his other self had the misfortunate to be enveloped by.

"So you think you can tempt me by my otherself's apparent madness?" He asked and shoved his hands in his pockets tapping a finger on his sonic.  "You think I have some jealousy of him -- that I need to prove myself?"  He shook his head.  "You're wrong. I know what I have here and I don't regret it. Now, are you going to tell me where Rose is?"

Thunder rumbled and the room darkened. "Do you have any idea what I could do to you and your precious Rose?" Havoc stated in a voice that left the Doctor's hair raised.

"Do you really think this will ever end until I get what I want?" Havoc said with an cold anger.

"I know what you're capable of and I know you are determined," the Doctor responded without flinching.  "I also know that there are rules of engagement in this little vendetta you have against me and Rose.  And should you violate them, you will have a whole different problem facing you that will be far worse than Rose and I keeping you from some small object you desire," the Doctor said unflinching and staring the Eternal in the eyes.

The room quieted and the darkness ebbed. "Really Doctor, you're going to rely on the whimsy of Eternals? I think you'll find we're a fickle lot. So, one of them has been whispering in your ear. You should think about this very carefully. Do you really think they will come to your aid, or will they watch Rose fall, just as they watched her fall into the void."

"But Rose didn't fall into the void did she?" The Doctor smiled. "Someone or thing intervened and somehow I don't think it was you or one of your associates was it?" The Doctor smirked.

"You are so sure of that are you?" Havoc retorted.

"I'm tired of this game. Where's Rose?" the Doctor demanded.

Havoc laughed, "Oh Doctor, the truth is I have no idea. Seems there are other players in this game and despite my best efforts, they intervened. So, my dear Doctor, the answer is I simply don't know."  He tossed the small police box he held into the fire. "Take care, Doctor.  This is not finished, not in the least.  And good luck finding your lost flower. Should you change your mind and want my assistance or favor, just whistle." Havoc walked out of the game room whistling a cheerful tune, disappearing from Dutton Manor.

The Doctor stood in the quiet room staring at Havoc's retreating form and worrying what he would do next with only the comforting hum of the TCB to console him.


	4. Croquet and the Fate of the Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No I do not play Croquet and this is Eternal Croquet which means anything goes. Eternals definitely have their own morality so won't this be an interesting game! No fluffy critters were actually harmed in the writing of this fic.

As Rose walked up to the croquet playing field, she saw that there were six hoops in a sort of X like pattern. Apparently, the goal was to hit your ball through the hoop and hit the stake on the other side of the hoop. The goal was to make your way through all six hoops in a particular order and then hit the peg in the middle at the end. It was a bit complicated as if you hit your ball through and it didn't hit the stake, it was the next person's turn and they could use their ball to hit yours out of the way. If that happened, they got an extra turn while you had to wait for your turn to cycle around. Hope explained to Rose that the person that completed the field with the fewest amount of strokes won.

Of course, these were Eternals playing so nothing would be as simple as human Croquet. Everything appeared to have what Rose believed to be symbolic meanings. The order of play would be Jinx, Turmoil, Faith, Discord, Rose and Hope. Never and Jubilee were watching off to the side.

Jinx lined up her ball the proper distance from the hoop and hit it with her mallet. The blue ball bounced off the side of the hoop and rolled diagonally across the field.

"Nice shot!" Turmoil laughed as he lined up to hit is red ball. He looked up and winked at Rose before he slammed his ball hard. The red ball streaked across the field, bouncing off the center peg shooting back toward the intended stake. Turmoil whooped it up, holding his arms up in the air glee.

Faith smiled primly and took position, gently and carefully aiming her yellow ball which rolled gently within a meter of the stake.

"So are we going to make this interesting, or are we being pedestrian for the insipid little mortal?" Discord asked as he walked up with his black ball.

"What did you have in mind?" asked Jinx.

"Don't play stupid for the mortal, You know, the usual," Discord snarled at her.

"Now, Discord, do try be a bit more obliging. Rose has never played before and doesn't know what you mean," Hope chimed in.

"All right, listen up little wolf, the winner of each hoop gets to influence a pivotal moment in the universe, a time when things can go one way or another. A juicy moment that affects the lives of lesser species."

"What he means, Rose," Faith inserted. "Is for example, does the Doctor sacrifice his life and the life of his companion to save the Earth from destruction by Slitheen or does he choose to forgo the use of deadly force to assure the safety of his beloved Rose and risk the planet? Which will he choose? Save the companion or save the planet?" Faith explained to Rose.

"That's awful!" Rose exclaimed. "You mean to say you played a game and the winner of a hoop of croquet decided how to influence the Doctor to make that horrible decision? But wait, that can't be right, I was there and I told the Doctor to save the planet," Rose insisted.

Turmoil laughed at this. "Oh, sweet Rose, how do you think you decided that!"

"You're saying you influenced me some how and you do this sort of thing all the time, interfering with billions of lives based on your own whim?" Rose was beyond horrified.

"Of course, if we didn't, nothing would get done," answered Turmoil.

"Right, my turn," and Discord struck his black ball, which struck Faith's ball, knocking it away from the stake. "Ha!" he yelled. He went to hit his ball again but hit it too hard and it went by the stake. He proceeded to beat his mallet against the ground several times before walking away in a huff.

Rose nervously walked up when it was her turn. She looked at Hope for luck and confidence. Knowing what was at stake for winning a hoop added so much pressure. In the back of her mind, she heard a voice with a Northern accent reminding her that while traveling the universe she'd be faced with people with different moralities; and she needed to deal with it or go home. Rose slowly let out her breath and hit her ball, watching it roll through the hoop and roll to a stop oh so close to the stake.

"Well done, Rose!" Hope congratulated her.

Rose felt emotionally drained as she watched Hope hit her purple ball, which rolled by Roses and hit the stake.

"So does this mean you won the hoop?" asked Rose.

"Oh, yes!" responded Hope.

"So whatcha gonna do?" Rose wanted to know and nervously tugged at her jacket.

"Well Rose dear, if I told you that, it would ruin the surprise," Hope said, patting her on the shoulder and walking away, pleased over her choice.

Rose stilled wondering exactly what Hope had done.

The game proceeded in a similar manner with Turmoil winning the next hoop screaming out his delight. He whispered something to Jinx who giggled madly. Rose was feeling more and more worried and out of her depth. How could she deal with the madness of these seemingly random Eternals. Faith won the third hoop and gazed peacefully at it, closing her eyes and smiling. The fourth hoop went to Discord who laughed and looked directly at Rose.

"What do you think mortal? Shall it be war or pestilence on a planet in the Khata'al Alliance? Pestilence does linger on, but war is far more gratifying and exciting to observe."

Rose just shook her head and stepped back and turned away staring at the ground. She couldn't bear to look at any of them.

Discord just snarled, "Weak, foolish mortal. Without chaotic events, your life would mean nothing!" He stormed away from her.

A heavy sense of grief and desolation settled over her. The careless and oblivious attitude of all the Eternals made her nauseous with worry. But all of those emotions led to a simmer profound sense of anger and indignation. These careless, erratic Eternals had caused harm to many lives in the universe, not to mention her Doctor. The void would freeze over before she allowed them to intimidate or belittle her. With stubborn determination, Rose proceeded to win the fifth hoop. Hope approached her about the prize for winning the hoop but Rose asked her to wait until the game was completed. Rose's victory of the fifth hoop spurred an incredible competition from Jinx, Discord and Turmoil. They seemed determined to hit each other's balls away from the stake. So involved in their own competitiveness, they ignored Rose until it was her turn to hit. Just as she angled her mallet to hit the ball, Discord started yelling and making loud noises.

"Oi, that's cheating!" exclaimed Rose.

"Cheating! I am Discord. I cannot be anything other that what I am!" Discord yelled at her.

"Fine, you be as Discordant as you need to be. Doesn't bother me one bit," Rose retorted. "Honestly, it's nice to not have it so quiet." She smirked at the expression on his face. With his growling and manic pacing, it looked like he was trying to figure out a better way to annoy her. But then Discord initiated a new plan. Before Rose knew what was going on, she saw Discord throwing round fluffy creatures about. Her mouth gaped at how rude, cruel and just plain obnoxious one Eternal could be.

But it also drove home her need to win. She ignored him, focused on her ball, and hit it. It rolled straight to the stake and struck it. Rose smiled and looked over at Discord, who had a stormy expression on his face as he took his mallet and struck the poor fluffy balovine, shooting it screaming into the field.

The ultimate conclusion to the game was a tie between herself and Turmoil. They had yet to tell her the significance of what that meant. Hope walked over to her.

"Rose, you are not one of us but as you have won the hoops, you are awarded the opportunity to make a choice and decide two pivotal events in time. You can change anything. Is there something in particular you want? You could use this to change your destiny. Think carefully, Rose. Whatever you decide will have a ripple effect in the universe. No choice or influence is constricted to one or two people or even a planet. Everything is inter-related. The universe, the multiverse is its own organism. It lives, breathes and grows. I will enact and oversee whatever you choose," Hope told Rose.

This was a very seductive opportunity for Rose. She could change so much. Did she want to change her destiny, the Doctor's destiny or any of her friends and family? What would have happened if she hadn't let go of the lever at Canary Wharf? What if she and the Doctor had never landed in Pete's World? These questions whipped through her mind as well as contemplating the potential devastation and paradox such a choice could make.

"Hope, I don't want to cause a paradox. Are you sure any decision I make won't rip apart the multiverse?" 

Discord laughed hysterically at this.

"Oh, Rose, you are the best!" exclaimed Turmoil. "Why didn't I think of that! But then again, ripping apart the universe happens a bit quick. It's much more satisfying to choose events that take time. You don't want to get bored, do you?" Turmoil smiled at her.

Rose shuddered at the thought of it.

"Rose, we have a certain leeway with the events of the universe. The points in question are events of pivotal moments of change. Your Doctor would say the timelines are blurred, the outcome is not fixed. So you see, a paradox is not a possibility for these moments. Did you have something in mind?" Hope asked with curiosity.

Rose stood in the field staring down at the croquet ball, pondering what she should do and wishing the Doctor was there with her. The Eternals grew silent, waiting to see what she would do….

dwdwdwdwdwdw

Meanwhile, back at Dutton Manor….

The Doctor paced back and forth in an attempt to devise a way to find Rose and thinking about Havoc's taunts. He nervously spun the sonic screwdriver in his hand. The door to the solarium opened and Perry called his name. 

"Doctor, I cannot help but notice your distress. Do you require assistance?" Perry asked.

The Doctor sighed. "Rose is missing. And it has something to do with the Rift. You remember I explained to you about the rift?"

"Yes, I believe you mentioned that there is a rift in time and space that periodically leaks energy and other items. This is the same energy that provides sustenance for the lovely TCB."

"Yes. And the other day something came through in the game room. When Rose and I ran in to locate the object, she found a book on the ground. When she knelt down to pick it up, she was caught in an energy spike and was pulled through the rift." He paused and stared blankly forward. "Perry, I can't find her. I don't know, I just can't--" His voice cracked. "For the first time in a very long time, I'm not sure where to start. If she were here, I know she would see it and point it out to me. Rose was always able to see what I missed. Oh, Perry, what am I going to do?" The Doctor sat down hard in an old wicker chair and put his face in his hands.

Perry walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Doctor, you will find her. I know you will. It seems to me that rather than relying on your scanning device, perhaps you should take the human approach, like one of those detective novels. Have you ever read Arthur Conan Doyle? He wrote the most fascinating characters using deductive…"

"Perry, that's it!" The Doctor sprang up, infused with energy. "Oh, you wonderful, gorgeous, gardener! Thank you! Here follow me!" the Doctor exclaimed, leading Perry to the game room where the Doctor clapped and rubbed his hands together.

"Now then Perry, you take the left side of the room and I'll take the right. We need to start on each side and work our way over to the middle, looking for anything that doesn't belong. Whatever you do, if you see any books lying about, do not touch them until you call me. That is critical," the Doctor emphasized.

Perry and the Doctor scrutinized every item in the room, looking around and through hand held games, game pieces, puzzles, electronics and miscellaneous papers. Any item even slightly suspicious was questioned.

"Doctor, would you like to have a look at this?"

"What is it, Perry?" The Doctor ran over to examine a half melted radio. "Oh! That's where that went!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I've been looking for that. Must have set it down here on my way to tea one day."

They continued looking, stopping periodically to talk about a particular item: a broken teacup the Doctor didn't want Rose to know about; a half eaten biscuit the Doctor set down while in the middle of a game of billiards with Rose; a purple tie that Rose must have hidden in here so the Doctor couldn't find it; and a pair of socks that the Doctor had no answer for but was sure they weren't alien or from the rift, just a bit moldy.

As they reached the middle of the room after hours of searching, Perry stopped. Before him under a chair was a book. It didn't appear especially large or dangerous looking. It was about the size of a paperback novel but was covered in a faded red leather like material with black writing on it. The pages had gold edges and looked well worn.

"Doctor," called Perry.

"Perry, please don't tell me you found another pair of socks," the Doctor said with a groan.

"No, a book. A very old book. The writing looks like something I haven't seen in a long time and only in a museum."

The Doctor, in his haste to reach Perry's side, leaped over a table almost falling on Perry. He stooped down and peered under the chair, whipping his sonic out to scan it. "Well done, Perry! I think you found something."

The book was covered in a rift energy that could be barely detected and something else, something the Doctor could not identify.

"Perry, hand me the back scratcher on that table over there." he pointed to an end table. "It's the long wooden thing with the claw like appendage on it." After Perry handed it to him, the Doctor cautiously nudged the book out from under the chair. "Oh, this is bad, very, very bad," he mumbled.

"What are you thinking, Doctor?" asked Perry.

The Doctor sighed and looked up at Perry. "That writing is very old, ancient really and should not even be on Earth. Even if there wasn't traces of rift energy, I'd know it didn't belong here. You say you saw something like this in a museum? When and where was that?"

"I'm afraid, Doctor, it was not on Earth. It was on my home world and very long ago. The writing was on a box that was found in a meteor that had crashed into our planet millions of years ago. It was an item that spurred a great debate among my people regarding our ancestors."

"I'm not surprised. This writing, it's not translatable in a manner that most species use. My people's language could come close but only close, not exact. This is an example of something from the first races, the ancients. Oh, Perry, this is from a time when words weren't just words, they were ideas filled with power -- the power of creation and destruction. This is similar to the book Rose touched."

"Similar but not exact?" Perry asked.

"No, the book Rose touched was quite larger and I believe may have contained a particular subject matter which made it more volatile, especially combined with the rift energy."

"Are you able to translate this and would such translation help you find Rose, or would it further endanger us and this world?"

"That's just it, Perry. I have to proceed with caution. I can't even touch it. This very primitive handy dandy back scratcher will be, oddly enough, the most useful tool we have in this very delicate matter."

Both Perry and the Doctor were now sitting on the floor near the book. The Doctor used the back scratcher to carefully open the cover of the book. As he did, they both held their breathes. The bindings resisted being opened, pages stuck together and as the Doctor opened the book millimeter by millimeter, he could hear the crackle of the old pages as they released from one another; and the scent of time and power. The Doctor felt all the hairs on his arms stand on end as the book opened and a tingling in his mind that he had not felt since the Time War, since Gallifrey.

The book now laid wide open, and the Doctor gazed down at the aged pages which looked like parchment paper with three dimensional black writing almost floating on top of the paper. The Doctor gasped and sat back.

"What is it, Doctor? What can I do?" asked Perry, still maintaining a calm composure.

The Doctor stared, his eyes wide and fearful.

Perry leaned over and put his hand on the Doctor's arm, "Doctor, we need to find Rose. If this book can't help us accomplish that, let us close it and lock it away from causing any further potential harm."

"Perry, the book, this ancient book, it's about me. It, it…. talks of my creation, the war, this world and Rose. I can't read any more of this. I can't know this. In answer to your question, yes this book will help us find Rose. I know exactly where she is and I have to find her and quickly. Oh, Perry, she is in so much danger." The Doctor very slowly used the back scratcher to close the book and then pushed it back under the chair. "This will have to stay here for now. I'll have to devise a way to secure it. Although, it really has its own security system. If anyone touches it,….. well, I just wouldn't."

"Excuse me Doctor, but I feel you have omitted a vital piece of information," Perry said softly, looking at the Doctor with inquisitive eyes.

"Perry, have you ever heard of Eternals?"

"Myths and legends, Doctor. These are fairy tales meant to inspire or frighten children; but we know, don't we, Doctor, that these things are based on some form of reality, some truth that inspired creative people to record them. Are you saying that Rose has fallen into one of these tales?" Perry asked.

"Oh, it's far worse than that. Rose and I have been drawn into a war, the ongoing conflict of the ancients. They are the giants of the universe and we are nothing to them but insects or ants walking alongside them, easily squashed and barely noticed."

"Ahhh, but insects are important in the garden, Doctor. The ants can help keep things clean and tidy and the bees pollinate and continue the life cycle of the garden. Insects can be useful as well as destructive. Can the same bee that pollinates the flowers not sting in self defense?"

"Oh, you are good, Perry!"

"If we are but insects to them, the question is why take notice now and why Rose?" Perry paused a moment, looking in the distance at nothing in particular before continuing. "I have often noticed the people of this world are fascinated by things that change from one thing into another. Perhaps these Eternals are attracted to the same thing. It has not escaped my notice that Rose is like the butterfly, wouldn't you say so, Doctor?"

"Why do I get the feeling there's more to you, Perry, than you've told me?" The Doctor asked, arching an eyebrow at his clever gardener.

Perry smiled warmly at him. "I think Doctor, that you know exactly what you need to do to find Rose, don't you?"

"Perhaps I do, Perry. I think I need to make a phone call." The Doctor pulled out his mobile and hit a few buttons. "Malcolm, it's the Doctor, I need a favor."


	5. Is the Game Over or Really Beginning?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote this chapter, I realized Rose really was put in a position to change everything. I may one day write an alternate version but for now, I am exploring TenII. That being said, I won't ignore Ten in this story or what he went through in canon. Oh, I adore the character of Malcolm, he will pop up in this story periodically.

The more Rose considered the choices she faced, the deeper she reached inside of herself to make a responsible choice -- a choice that wouldn't harm anyone and maybe could help people or make a difference. Rose thought of some of the events in her life and wondered if she could change them or even if she wanted to change them. She thought long and hard about Canary Wharf. What if…no. She could barely conceive of that "what if" moment.

A year ago, she would have jumped at the chance to change the events of that day, to stay with the Doctor and not be imprisoned in Pete's World. But now, with her new Doctor and the future with the TCB, she knew where she was meant to be. She loved the full Time Lord Doctor and that would never change. She truly felt pain and despair at the thought of him being alone. The only thing that helped her move on was her faith in him. She would always believe in him and if she believed in nothing else, it was that the universe needed him to be safe. She knew he had lived a long life and the one constant would always be his ability to pick companions. The full Time Lord Doctor would never stay alone for long and he had an important future with or without her.

She couldn't bear the thought of never knowing her new Doctor; never finding the TCB and losing her Mum forever. So much had changed. She was just now realizing how much. She still felt that she could help the Doctor in her original universe if she stayed on the path with her Doctor here and with the TCB. She didn't know why, she just knew it was important. As Rose worried and fretted over her decision and personal revelations as to what she really wanted, much time had elapsed. Unfortunately, Eternals were not very patient people.

"How long is she going to take?" Jinx whined.

"This is what happens when you invite peasants!" shouted Discord.

"Maybe she needs inspiration?" chimed in Jubilee.

Faith walked over to Rose and took her hand. "Well, Rose, what's it to be?"

Rose looked at her. "I know what I want to do," she finally responded.

"Finally!" Discord complained, kicking a croquet ball in aggravation.

"What's it to be, Rose? What sort of excitement do you have planned!" Turmoil asked excitedly.

It was at this point that Rose now realized the point of this game. It was all about their own boredom. They didn't rcare about croquet; it was merely a distraction to toy with the lives of the lesser species. These immortal, ancient creatures who were so evolved were bored to tears. They'd seen so much, done so much, what else was there for them other than this? When this thought occurred to her, Rose could not help but think of the Doctor and his people. How horribly boring it must be for him and how she really and truly understood why he invited companions to travel with him. This was his opportunity to see the universe, fresh, new and exciting through new eyes and new perceptions. If he hadn't done that, he could be like this.

Rose asked Faith, "If I tell you the moment I am considering, can you tell me what will happen if I choose one path over another?"

"Now who's cheating!" Discord shuffled over to her sneering.

"Shame on you, Rose, that's like reading the end of the book before the beginning. You miss all action, angst and adventure and it's boring." Turmoil wagged his finger at her pouting.

"I'm sorry, Rose, that is a rule we won't bend even for you. You have to tell us the moment and choose a direction," responded Hope.

"All right. This is something that relates to me personally but also affected others. It's all ready happened in my own linear timeline but I don't know why, so maybe I was meant to make this happen. Canary Wharf. Pete jumped in to save me from the void when I lost my grip on the lever. The choice was either he came back for me, or he didn't. Is this a fixed point, or can I make this choice?"

Faith and Hope looked at each other and smiled. Faith responded, "This is now a fixed point, this point was already decided."

"So you mean when one of you lot makes a choice about a particular point, it becomes fixed so the next person can't undo what you chose?" Rose asked.

"Yes. It would cause quite a mess if we contradicted each other back and forth over one point," Hope told Rose.

"Blimey, this could take forever if I keep choosing things you lot have already chosen," Rose complained, "Right, how about…."

Before Rose could finish, Jubilee spoke up. "Rose is right. Oh, I know! How about each of us make a suggestion of a decision that needs to be made and Rose picks from our suggestions. It'll be like a game." Jubilee was jumping up and down at this point.

"It sounds like something only you would think of," Never commented, looking bored with the idea.

"Well, you don't have to play Do You Never," remarked Turmoil. "I think it's a fabulous idea. We all get to share in the prize. But...maybe we should make it more interesting. Perhaps we should put suggestions in a hat and Rose picks the two she likes best and whoever's suggestions she picks wins an additional prize." Turmoil was smiling brightly at this idea.

"But what if I don't like any of 'em?" asked Rose.

"Oh, you keep choosing until you do," chimed in Jinx.

All Rose could ponder was what had she gotten herself into? The Eternals had gathered pieces of parchment paper and where madly scribbling away with old fashioned quills. Eventually, Faith walked over to the gazebo and retrieved a large light green wicker basket in which she deposited her suggestions. She then went around and retrieved everyones suggestions in the basket.

"Rose, why don't you come sit next to me while you consider the suggestions," Faith asked Rose and patted a seat next to her

Rose sat in the large Victorian white wicker chair with the basket at her feet. She looked at Hope, who sat to her right. A thought suddenly occurred to her, but she wasn't sure if she should ask. After fretting a bit, she decided things couldn't get much worse.

"Hope, when I choose the two pivotal moments, what does the person who wrote them win?"

Hope smiled. "Does it matter?"

"I don't know, maybe. I just wanna know what I'm responsible for, that's all," responded Rose shrugging.

Jinx and Jubilee, who had chosen a bench to Rose's left, turned to each and started giggling. Rose turned and looked at them and thought to herself, "That can't be good."

Never strolled over to her, looking serious, and said, "The one or ones who provide you with the winning suggestion will be able to either grant an opportunity for a new species to be created or render the means for a species be destroyed. This is part of the cycle of the universe. This must happen no matter your choice or whether or not you are happy with this decision."

After Never spoke, he turned and walked slowly back to his spot on the Gazebo. Rose bit her lip afraid to reach into the basket viewing it as a basket filled with vipers. She should have known that in this place things would definitely get worse. There was nothing she could do but see this through. Once again, she thought of the Doctor. She thought about the row in the kitchen and wondered if he was still angry at her; if he missed her or if he was looking for her. Suddenly, she was filled with a sense of love and warmth and knew without a doubt, yes he was doing everything he could to find her. She knew then that her connection to the TCB had not been severed despite being thrown into this ridiculous world.

"Are just going to sit there and stare?" snipped Discord playing with a dagger he repeated stabbed into the wicker furniture.

"Come on Rose, you don't have eternity, you know," teased Turmoil.

Rose reached into the basket and began picking out the paper. The first one nearly made her fall of the chair, she laughed so hard. "Should Walt Disney build his park in Orlando, Florida or Cardiff?"

The ideas that followed ranged from the completely mad to the horrific.

"Should Ann Boleyn successfully bear Henry Tudor a son?"

"Does Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?"

"What if the Rapacious Conglomeration violates the treaty with the Melos Union?"

"Does George Lucas choose Han Solo or Hannah Solo?"

"Should the Adosian Armada wipe out the Etlak in a 50 year war?"

"Does the Olikki parliament approve funding of biologic weapons?"

"What if Shakespeare decided Romeo and Juliet lived happily ever after?"

"What if Madonna performed Thriller instead of Michael Jackson?"

"What if Marilyn Monroe lived?"

"Should the duck billed platypus be the snouted platypup?"

The list of ideas went on and on. After Rose had finished pulling all the ideas from the basket, which seemed like it took hours, she had one pile next to the basket and another in her lap. She went back through the ideas in her lap and further reduced the pile of those she was considering. The Eternals huffed and fidgeted growing impatient.

"Entire planetary systems could be utterly destroyed in the amount of time you're taking -- time being a relative concept," complained Discord, collapsing dramatically against the furniture.

"Now Discord, let Rose choose," Faith admonished. "This is her prize, after all. She should be able to enjoy it and besides, I know she's almost done. She wouldn't want us to grow bored and do something that might cause her concern," Faith suggested with a sly smile.

Rose stood up and cleared her throat. "I have my choice," she said.

The Eternals excitedly gathered around her.

"I want to thank you all for such creative and interesting suggestions. After reading all of them, I decided I should choose only those that I understood. Since I know nothing of the politics of the Adosians or the Melos Union, I'm sorry but I couldn't consider those suggestions but thanks for the thought. Since it's been pointed out to me that I am just a mortal human, I thought I should probably narrow things down to just choices that I understood from my point of view."

"How horribly prejudicial of you," Discord said in a bitter and sarcastic tone.

"Yes, well, without further delay, the first choice I wish to make is the lovely idea that someone suggested on whether or not bananas should exist on Earth. Of course, I choose that they do exist. Whose suggestion was this?"

"Me!" exclaimed Jubilee, squealing with delight.

"Oh, well, congratulations, Jubilee. Um, hope you choose wisely with your, um, prize," Rose said, her brow furrowing. She had hoped it would have been Hope or Faith.

"My next choice is one that is close to my heart. I choose that a new breed of Tardis, beloved creatures of time, are successfully propagated in this universe. So which one of you wrote that one?"

There was dead silence. All of them just stared at Rose. It was so quiet, Rose didn't even hear a breeze blowing through the trees. The Eternals turned and stared at each other.

"Are you lot saying that none of you wrote this? So how did it get in the basket then?"

Finally Hope stepped forward. "Rose, this is the nether world. Nothing here is as it appears, and nothing happens as you think it might," she said mysteriously.

Discord kicked over a piece of furniture and stormed off, disappearing over the hill. After he left, Turmoil approached Rose.

"Hope's right, nothing is predicable here. Predicable is boring. The more things are stirred up, the better if you ask me. So Rose, if it's none of us, how do you think it got in the basket?"

Rose thought for a moment before replying. "Well, I s'pose could be more of you that I haven't met yet; or there's other creatures about that wanted to play in your game."

"Clever, clever Rose," remarked Faith.

"I think you should take a walk in the forest over there. Maybe you'll find the answer," Hope told Rose.

"Hope, I just want to go home. I've played your games like you asked. Please can't you send me home to Dutton Manor, to the Doctor?"

"You'll find your answer in the glade. Go Rose. I look forward to the next time our paths cross." Hope gave Rose a hug and turned her in the direction of the forest.  
Rose walked away slowly. She stopped and turned around, and all of them and everything was gone. All that remained was a grassy field.

"I have such a bad feeling about this," she said as she walked into the woods. "Yeah, just send me into the dark and mysterious woods like in a Grimm fairy tale." Just then, Rose heard a wolf howl. "Fantastic, just fantastic, and I'm not even wearing a red hood," Rose muttered sarcastically as she looked around nervously.

She ventured deeper and deeper into the woods, the tree canopy almost completely blocking out the light and the temperature dropping enough for her to wish she was wearing something warmer. After she'd been walking a for a while, she saw a clearing with a pond in the center and beside it, something really strange.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Back at Dutton Manor…

The Doctor met Malcolm at the door. "Malcolm, my good man, do come in. Thank you for coming over!" the Doctor exuberantly expressed while patting Malcolm on the back.

"Yes, Doctor, anything for you and Rose; but, I was wondering, why didn't you want the rest of Torchwood to know? Is this some secret project?" Malcolm asked, darting looks around the mansion.

The Doctor walked with Malcolm and almost reached the study before answering. He stopped at the door and turned to Malcolm. "There's a problem. You see I sort of lost Rose and I need your help."

"Lost Rose?," Malcolm sputtered and adjusted his glasses. "Doctor, I don't understand. How could you lose her? And why me? Why not make this a Torchwood investigation? I am most flattered and excited to help you Doctor, but I'm afraid I am a bit confused." Malcolm said with a worried expression.

"Malcolm, you're brilliant. It's a crime Torchwood keeps you locked up in your lab like they do. I trust you. I know you would let no harm come to Rose. Torchwood wouldn't make Rose their priority. They would bring some huge team in here to investigate and spend time filling out forms and not get anything done. You know how the bureaucracy works. I think they would be more concerned with how Rose disappeared rather than finding her. Rose is worth more than that."

Malcolm blushed at the Doctor's compliments, but that didn't stop him from turning and enveloping the Doctor in a giant, Malcolm-sized hug.

"Um, yes, well, Malcolm, perhaps we should get to it," the Doctor suggested, trying to extricate himself from Malcolm's over zealous embrace.

They sat down in the library with the Doctor's laptop which he soniced a few times to show Malcolm the rift readings at the time Rose disappeared and compared them to the average readings.

"I definitely see the fluctuations of rift energy, but there's something else there, isn't there, Doctor?" Malcolm asked.

"Exactamundo!" the Doctor explained and scrunched up his face. "Oh, I hate that word, didn't mean to say that." The Doctor shook his head. "And yes Malcolm, that oddity is when a particular item fell out of the rift. You see Rose touched it. You know about void stuff, right?"

"Yes! Rose showed me using a delightfully primitive but creative way to see the traces of the void which adheres to people traversing the void using 3D glasses. A method of yours, correct, Doctor?"

"Yes, I showed that to Rose before… well, that's not important now. What is important is that Rose is still covered in the stuff from all that void crossing she's done. She also has traces of artron energy from time travel and that, Malcolm, combined with the odd object that popped out of the rift, caused a chain reaction sort of like a sling shot. Rose was shot back through the rift."

"Amazing," whispered Malcolm. "And where was she shot to?" he asked.

The Doctor's eyes darkened,and he stared at the laptop. "I'm not sure." 

Malcolm looked at the bereft Doctor and knew he would do anything to help him find Rose. Rose and the Doctor had both treated him like he was more than just a research scientist to be tucked away in the depths of Torchwood's research facility. He felt they understood him.

"Doctor, I assure you Torchwood knows nothing of my trip to Dutton manor. They don't seem to pay much mind to me until they are in crisis. I took a bit of a leave of absence when you called. Any project with you intrigues me and I am committed to working with you to retrieve Rose. I took the liberty of bringing some equipment with me. Perhaps we could develop some type of tracking device which we could propel into the rift the next time it spikes. Maybe we could track Rose's unique signature. It would have left some type of trail would it not?"

The Doctor just grinned at Malcolm. "Perhaps there is hope for Torchwood with people like you there."

The Doctor and Malcolm worked into the night to modify Malcolm's tri-phasal anomalous vortal energy detector incorporating various pieces of technology that the Doctor had designed since moving to Dutton Manor. The Doctor invited Malcolm to stay not only for dinner but the night. They munched on take out from the Doctor's favorite pub which thanks to the Doctor's charming demeanor, was delivered to the Manor.

After Malcolm turned in, the Doctor continued on in his work until finally falling into an exhausted sleep at his desk. That night, Malcolm slept like he had never slept before with happy comforting dreams. He dreamed of finding Rose and the many adventures that he would have with her and the Doctor. The Doctor on the other hand, had dreams which were far less than pleasant.

In this twisted dream world, the Doctor was running through a dark, ominous forest filled with crooked trees and briar patches. He could hear a wolf howling in the distance. He kept calling for Rose; and he would catch glimpses of her everyone once in a while between the trees but he could never catch up to her. Finally ,he stopped to catch his breath and was confronted by Havoc sitting in a tree, still dressed in his dark gray suit but with a bright pink tie.

"Still lost something have you?" Havoc mocked while stroking the pink tie. "Too bad you can't ask someone who might have the ability to actually help you."

"Malcolm and I will find Rose. The only reason you're here is to try and distract me because I'm getting close," the Doctor responded.

Havoc laughed. "If that makes you feel better, Doctor. Remember, I don't know exactly where she is although I might have an inkling. Care to buy a tip from me? I'm sure we could trade something off for a small tip to shorten the length of time it takes you to find her."

"No, I'll find Rose without tainting either Rose or myself with anything from you," the Doctor answered coldly.

"So be it," Havoc said and fell backward into the darkness.

The Doctor walked away from the tree quickly. He continued to call for Rose and became worried when he didn't see any glimpses of her any more. Soon, he arrived at a hedge which stretched forever in either direction. The hedge was thick with greenery and was as high as his chest. He peered over it and saw a clearing with a pond. Beside the pond was Rose. She was gazing into the water and calling his name. Next to her was a tall, dark-complexioned, ginger-haired man dressed in a white golf shirt, light green trousers and a white golf hat leaning on a golf club, a wedge, to be more exact. He turned and looked at the Doctor with a friendly smile and waved. He turned back and whispered something in Rose's ear. She leaned closer to the water, so close ends of her hair were floating on the surface. Suddenly two arms burst forth, grabbing her and dragged her down beneath the surface.

The Doctor screamed, "Nooooo, Roooose!"

He was awakened by Perry gently calling his name. His skin slick with sweat and heart pounding, he looked up at Perry and thanked him.

"Doctor, were you having unpleasant dreams?" Perry asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Unfortunately, given my life, nightmares seem to dominate my sleeping mind. I'm sorry if I disturbed you, Perry."

"You did not disturb me, Doctor. I was enjoying a morning meditation and heard you cry out. I would have been remiss had I neglected to see if I could assist with your distress."

The Doctor nodded and looked out the window, noticing it was early morning and the sun was just rising, the sky painted in colors of pink and gold.

"Why don't I get the tea started and you can join Malcolm and I. I think you'll like Malcolm. He's a bit odd but brilliant," the Doctor said smiled weakly.

"It would be my honor to meet anyone you hold in such high esteem," Perry answered before walking away with his cane clicking on the wood floors.

The Doctor chuckled at his friends comment before turning back to his desk spread with parts and the device he and Malcolm had labored on yesterday. His attention was caught by a pad of paper with notes on it. The notes were written in Gallifreyan. But he didn't remember writing them and had no idea how they got there.


	6. The Fearless Threesome Take On The Rift

"No way!" It was all Rose could get out as she stared at the man dressed as a golfer waving at her next to a pond.

"Come now Rose, no reason to be shy," he said in a slightly Gaelic accent.

Rose walked over to the tall tanned man with ginger hair. He was dressed in a white golf shirt with a green stripe across the middle. He wore light green trousers, white golf shoes and a white golf hat. He leaned on a golf club, smiling and waiving merrily at her. As she stepped into the glade she noticed it seemed much sunnier and warmer there. Even the colors seemed more vivid. Bright green grass carpeted the small patch up to the edge of the dark sapphire blue waters of the pond. Beautiful lotus like flowers floated gracefully in the still mirror like waters. Even the trees at the edge of the glade looked warm and friendly.

"All right, nothing in this world is as it appears. So are you gonna tell me who you are and why you brought me here?" asked Rose in a no nonsense tone.

The golfer chuckled, his hazel eyes crinkling with delight, "Course lass, come down by the pond with me."

Rose walked slowly over to him worrying that maybe she should be running in the opposite direction.

"There now, not so bad?" he said softly.

"So everyone in this place seems to know me. So who are you then and what do you do here?" Rose asked.

"Oh yes, the need to name something. Humans like to do that. If you name something then, you understand it. Funny that, don't believe that meself. But, if it makes you feel better, s'pose you could call me Tim. Tim seems like a bit of a friendly name dunit?"

"You want me to call you Tim?" Rose asked wrinkling her brow in confusion and wondering why no one in this place could ever give her a straight answer.

"Yeah, pretty much," he answered her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Okay Tim, so I just finished a game of croquet with this lot of Eternals and something a bit odd happened. I don't suppose you would know anything about that would you?"

"Just one odd thing happened?" he asked, "I would think it was more than just one thing."

"Well honestly, this whole place is just loony but it seems even this lot were spooked by what happened with the wicker basket. Do you know anything about it?"

Tim took a swing with his golf club and looked back at her. "Well me darlin, I might. See, it was time. You learned what ya needed. Time to move on. That lot would've kept you. You're a bit fascinating ya know. Not like anyone else, you."

"You knew I would choose the pivotal point about growing a Tardis," she said slowly. "How and why?"

He smiled at her, "Destiny. It's all about -- surrounds you, but you know that. Everything changes, especially you. You're a bit more focused now, ya know and ya need to be. You think it's easy growing a new species? Oh me love, you have a long road ahead o' you. Much longer than you think. Now then, about this Doctor. While you know your own head, him not so much. The other players in this game -- they can see you and know what you can do. Your time line shines brighter than an exploding star; but your Doctor, they see him in turmoil. His timeline could go many different ways. Him, he's an opportunity. Do ya understand lass?" he asked, looking at her gravely.

"Which Doctor do you mean?" Rose asked. "My new Doctor here or the one in the original universe? If you mean my new Doctor, I know he's still adjusting but him and me, we're in this together. I promised him forever and I can finally make good on that. He said he wants to be here with me, wants to build a home for us including with the TCB. My new Doctor told me the other Doctor left us here because he loves me and wants what's best for me." She paused swallowing hard.

My old Doctor is alone now and that just kills me inside. Just because I have my new Doctor here doesn't mean I'll ever stop loving the other him and I'll never stop believing in his goodness. I have faith in him. He's strong and someone will find him and make him see that. If I could, I would slap him silly until he get's it."

"Oh me darlin, you have always been the loyal one haven't you? The thing if it is, both of your Doctors have darkness in them, too much of it I think. Luckily you came around. Just meeting him when you did, you changed things for him. You gave him another chance to choose his way. 

"Now the one with you, well, he knows some of what he wants but he needs you to help him stay true to the path he wants to choose. The other, he suffers. He has darkness in him now, but he still turns to you even if your not there with him. He feels the ghost of you. That one, he don't want to disappoint you so he tries to do good.

"The thing of it is even when you try to do good, one can wreak chaos and I don't say that lightly. It's why both sides fight over him and you. You're still part of this. You're the future -- what could be; while your Doctor, either of him, he's a bit of what was. I think you know how important your lady beneath is as well and she's part of this too. Creatures of time you all are. You need to think about that. What binds you together; what makes you strong; what makes your heart beat, these things, they are what you need to know. Open your mind and heart my bonnie Rose and you will truly see."

Rose was very quiet while he spoke trying to absorb all he was saying. It was still a bit confusing and she was feeling conflicted. She loved both her Doctors and wanted to help them both. She knew without a doubt she loved her new Doctor and was committed to him as he was committed to her. She felt that if she loved her new Doctor and helped him be all he could that it would somehow bring peace to her other Doctor.

"So your saying we're all connected, my Doctors, me and the TCB?" Rose asked.

"Aye that you are. Creatures of time share a connection. You knew his Tardis and she knew you. Pity he never figured that one out. You are a quick one aren't you." he smiled.

"So if I help my Doctor here, it will help the other Doctor as well?"

"Cannot say that for sure. Time Lords are a bit of a strange lot where fate is concerned. They like to control things and always hated losing any kind of control. They wanted everything neat and tidy. Not that it's a bad thing - it can help keep the multiverse from… well no need to talk about that now. Anyway, ya see, they forgot who they were. They became stagnate and went a bit mad. It was part of their downfall. The Doctor, he never really had that problem. He was a bit the other way." He chuckled. "He always liked spontaneity -- liked to run. Don't get me wrong, he's still a bit repressed and not able to use intuition and emotional inspiration like humans. The trick is finding the balance ya know.

Your Doctor here, now, he's a bit human. Do you see how that could work in his favor? Especially with you? Ya get this one to use both the Time Lord and Human parts of himself to make that leap of faith and accept who he is now and who you are together, things change. He won't like it. Means he's gotta let go of what he's been for over a millennia. The multiverse needs creatures of time. It needs to grow and change. The other Doctor needs to change too. What you do here, it's a game changer and could help many including your other Doctor; course, you won't know for sure, at least, not for a long time."

"Are you saying if my Doctor and I are successful here with the TCB, that it will help heal the multiverse and take some of the pressure of the other Doctor?"

"Could be, too hard to tell, everything's in flux."

"Well then I need to get home. My Doctor is worried, I know he is," Rose told Tim.

Tim smiled at Rose, "One more thin. You think you know what you need to do and what's coming but really, you've only seen the tip of what must be done. This is a far greater thing than you are ready to see now. Your way is fraught with obstacles, some big, some small and filled with those who will help and some that will hinder. Ya got to stay true. This is the greatest game to ever be played, ma bonnie Rose."

Tim guided her over to the pond. 

"The water is like a looking glass isn't it? Staring into its depths, you see your reflection and more. Tell me Rose, what do you see?"

Rose looked into the pond and saw her reflection and saw the Doctor standing behind her calling her name. She called his name while staring into the pond but the Doctor's reflection acted like he didn't hear her.

Tim leaned over and whispered into her ear, "You've got to speak with your heart and mind lass."

Rose knelt closer to the water and focused and spoke the Doctor's name as if it were her prayer to salvation. She saw a change in the reflection, he could see her. She leaned closer to the water whispering his name and the water vibrated with it. Concentric circles vibrated from the epicenter of her whispers. Suddenly, she felt arms gripping her and pulled her head first into the cool water.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

 

Malcolm walked into the study and found the Doctor tacking two sheets of paper onto a wall, putting on his glasses and staring at the posted pages intently.

"Good morning Doctor!" Malcolm said with a bit of a bounce to his step.

"Malcolm, did you sleep all right?" the Doctor asked while still studying the pages before him.

"Oh I had the most amazing dreams and slept better than I have since welll ever really. What do you have there?"

"A bit of a mystery really. I fell asleep at my desk and found these when I woke up."

"Aren't they your notes?" Malcolm asked.

"Nope. I didn't write these. The big question is who did and why?"

"Well what do they say?" Malcolm asked slowly, darting looks around the room. If the Doctor didn't know where the notes came from, it could mean they weren't alone in the house. 

Just then, Perry entered the room with a tray filled with breakfast items. Malcolm jumped backwards closer to the Doctor.

"Oh Malcolm, I'd like you to meet my good friend and gardener, Perry. Perry, this is the friend I told you about earlier this morning, Dr. Malcolm Taylor."

Perry set the tray down on a table and walked over to Malcolm, bowing slightly, "Pleased to make your acquaintance Malcolm. May I pour you a cup of tea?"

"Yes, yes, of course, thank you," Malcolm said as he walked over to the table filled with breakfast items. "So how long have you known the Doctor?" he asked Perry.

"Oh not long, I've only been at the Manor for a little over a week now. Rose and the Doctor are special people. It was a most momentous day when they retained my services. And you sir, how long have you known them?"

"I had the pleasure of working with Ms. Tyler, Rose that is, for the past three and a half years. She's been a great inspiration to me. She introduced me to the Doctor a little over a six months ago. The Doctor is most impressive and brilliant. It is truly a pleasure to work with him. I do quite agree, they are most amazing people."

"May I offer you cream or sugar?" Perry asked with the most immaculate manners.

"Yes cream, thank you. So you oversee the garden? That must be some task. I understand it was in quite a state when the Doctor and Rose purchased the Manor."

"Yes sir, I do enjoy the challenge. It's an immense satisfaction when one brings order and life to an area once devastated by chaos and untamed growth."

"Malcolm, Perry could you come here a moment?" the Doctor called to them.

Malcolm and Perry gathered around the Doctor staring at the papers tacked to the wall. The Doctor turned to them and took off his glasses.

"According to these notes, there is an area on the grounds that is quite volatile. It's a physical location where the rift is strong and unstable. The slightest fluctuations will be much more tangible there. The question is, can we trust what these say and who wrote them?" the Doctor lectured pacing back in forth.

"Doctor, I believe I read that the Manor has quite an advanced security system and rift monitoring equipment. Wouldn't it be impossible for someone to have breached the security and deposited the notes here much less for these notes to have fallen from the rift without sounding the alarm?" Malcolm wondered.

"Malcolm if there is one thing I've learned, especially from Rose, nothing is impossible. If someone or thing understood enough about the rift and was knowledgeable enough to write these notes in Gallifreyan, they most certainly could have accessed the Manor without anyone being the wiser. Of course the big question is why?"

"Doctor, do you have a theory regarding why this information was left next to you and written in your native language?" Perry asked.

"It is a bit personal," Malcolm added.

"You're right, it is a bit personal and yes I think it was intended for me and my eyes only. I don't know why other than there are forces at work here beyond us and when I say us, I mean mortals. Malcolm, how much do you remember about the incident in the fountain?"

Malcolm turned and looked at Perry before turning back to the Doctor.

"It's all right Malcolm, you can trust Perry."

"Well Doctor, after Torchwood arrived, you were struck by an illness as a result of the time device. Rose was most upset."

"Malcolm, you're a scientist, you pay attention to details. Did you notice anything else? Maybe something you didn't put in your report?" the Doctor asked, prodding Malcolm.

"Yes, well, there might have been something but, well it was nothing," Malcolm answered a bit flustered.

"No, Malcolm. It may be important, tell us." The Doctor encouraged Malcolm.

"Well, I thought I saw someone out of place. Someone who seemed a little too interested in you and Rose. It's hard to say. There was so much happening and people running about. I suppose it could have been some news reporter." Malcolm shook his head like he was a bit embarrassed.

"No Malcolm, you did see something. I need you to think now, anything else you noticed?"

"Well, there was a bit of a commotion. I believe Rose was caught up in an altercation but then everything was fine."

"Did you see the person who was out place?" the Doctor asked, pushing Malcolm to remember more.

Malcolm closed his eyes and concentrated, "Yes! Yes, he was there. I think I saw him speaking to Rose as I was leaving the site. She looked most upset, but then Doctor, you had been taken back to Torchwood by ambulance."

"Was there anything else Malcolm, anything at all?" the Doctor continued to push.

"Well, I suppose maybe one thing. As we drove away, there was this oddly dressed man who seemed to also be watching Rose. As we drove by, he turned and I swear he looked at me and smiled." Malcolm flushed, embarrassed at revealing this last bit of information.

"What do you mean 'oddly dressed'," the Doctor asked.

"Well, he looked like he just stepped off the golf course," Malcolm answered him.

The Doctor's eyes widened at this revelation. Maybe one of the reasons Rose walked away from the confrontation with Havoc was because someone else was watching. Oh they were definitely in the middle of things.

"Oh Malcolm, you really did see something didn't you," the Doctor said while turning back to the notes and running his hand through his hair.

"Doctor, if I may inquire, what exactly did Malcolm see?" asked Perry.

"Yes, Doctor, I am most curious," Malcolm stated, his curiosity piqued.

"Well Malcolm, a bit of trouble may have followed me to this universe. You see, there are creatures who are not exactly on the same plane of existence as you and I. They are immortal and ancient and well, think of it this way -- the struggle between chaos and order. If the concepts of chaos and order had manifestations then Malcolm, you witnessed two of them."

Malcolm gaped. "Doctor, are you sure we shouldn't call Torchwood in on this? This sounds more complicated than simple rift activity," Malcolm said nervously.

"No Malcolm, this is personal. It doesn't have to do with the safety of Earth, well it does, but not in a direct 'we are going to take over the world kind of way'. You see, this is about Rose and I. Remember Malcolm, we're not from this universe. So we may attract attention that would not otherwise be paid to this planet. I know I've asked a lot of you and I may ask even more before this day is out. I'm asking you as a friend and someone who has a better understanding of this world and its place in the universe, perhaps more than any other human -- please don't involve Torchwood. Give Rose and I a chance to work this out peacefully and without risking other lives," the Doctor pleaded with Malcolm.

Malcolm stared at the Doctor for a long time without saying anything. He was conflicted between his duty to Torchwood and his friendship with the Doctor and Rose. He could see the Doctor's point but he also knew this was a very dangerous situation and may be beyond what Rose and the Doctor could handle alone. He knew the Doctor was amazing and if there was one person he would give any chance at solving this, it would be the Doctor.

"All right Doctor. For now, I won't say anything. However, if this gets out of hand, if people are harmed in any way or if I think you or Rose are in peril, I will go directly to Mr. Tyler without hesitation."

"Thank you, Malcolm. I appreciate your trust and loyalty," the Doctor said, patting Malcolm on the shoulder.

"So Doctor, how shall we proceed?" asked Perry.

"Let's gather up the equipment here and a few other things I think we'll need. Malcolm, why don't you and Perry finish up breakfast whilst I go and gather a few more things," the Doctor said while dashing about the study picking up the odd items from desk drawers and bookshelves.

"Doctor, would it not be wise to take a moment and assess?" asked Perry.

"No time Perry, Rose needs us," the Doctor said as he rushed around.

"Doctor please, you've barely slept or eaten. At least have some tea before we take on these immortal creatures," Malcolm pleaded.

The Doctor stopped and looked at Malcolm and Perry. He ran his hands over his unshaven face and looked down at his sleep rumpled suit. For a moment he had forgotten his part human need for rest and sustenance.

"Perry, why don't you pack up breakfast and we'll eat when we get to the rift location."

Perry nodded and began putting things together for their journey. Not knowing where they were going, Perry and Malcolm packed for a long trek and an anticipated all day project.

When the Doctor returned to the study he had a rucksack over his shoulder which looked like it was full and heavy. Perry and Malcolm looked equally prepared and ready to face whatever challenges were ahead at the rift location.

"Well gentlemen err, gang, comrades, squad, oh I know, league! Yes we are the League of Temporal Defenders, Ha! Off with us then!" the Doctor exclaimed as he headed out into the garden.

Malcolm and Perry looked at each, shrugged and followed after him. They made their way deep into the garden, around and through the tangled, tightly woven foliage until the Doctor stopped suddenly.

"Perry, perhaps you should take the lead. I appear to have reached an impasse. You seem to have a much better relationship with the greenery."

"Of course Doctor, but perhaps you could provide guidance as to the desired destination?" Perry answered.

"Oh yes! In the center of the garden is a stone structure which contains a well. There really isn't much information about it other than it is centuries old. The present house was build on the remains of a 12th century structure which burned to the ground. It seems this well was part of the original structure."

"Fascinating! So the location of sensitivity of rift energy is near the well?" Malcolm asked.

"I believe it is the well," the Doctor answered.

The fearless threesome continued through the tangled garden, pushing there way through overgrown bushes and vines until finally they reached the center. It was like they burst forth from a dense Central American jungle into a field containing an Aztec pyramid. They stood for a moment admiring the stone structure. Wiping sweat off of his brow, The Doctor was amazed at the amount of time it took them to reach this place given it was only four hundred meters from the house. The stone structure consisted of flat limestone pieces which formed the pavement around a large stone well in the center. The pavement was circular and appeared to be fifteen meters in diameter surrounded by low growing grass with bits of green moss growing in between the stones. The stone wall of the well was almost one meter above the ground. The well itself was three meters across. Surrounding the well on the exterior of the circle were four obelisks standing three meters high with carvings on them that were similar to hieroglyphics.

The Doctor walked across to the well and peered down into the darkness. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a flourescent glow stick which he activated and dropped down into the well. He turned to Malcolm and Perry, "Well there's water down there. Let's get set up shall we. We need a lever and pulley system so I can get down there," the Doctor explained as he dropped his ruck sack with a thud.

"Doctor, are you sure that's wise?" Malcolm asked. "We don't know what's down there. Perhaps we should lower a camera first just to be safe." Malcolm peeredover the side of the well.

"Malcolm, I know what's down there, Rose. This is the way to Rose and nothing's going to keep me from bringing her home."

"Doctor, this place is unlike the rest of the garden. There is silence here as if in anticipation," Perry explained to the Doctor while gazing at one of the obelisks.

The three worked in conjunction with one another, focused on a sole purpose. Stopping only briefly for a bite to eat, they quickly assembled equipment necessary to lower the Doctor into the well. It was mid afternoon before they were done. They set up the rift monitoring equipment and assembled scanner devices to examine the well in more detail.

"Doctor, our equipment is unable to detect the depth of the well. There appears to be some sort of interference," Malcolm reported.

"That would be the rift. What about the rift energy and the materials of the well?" the Doctor asked while he pulled on a harness and head lamp.

"Hmmm, the rift appears to be spiking at regular intervals, each one growing stronger than the last. I would make an educated guess that it's about to peak in the next twenty minutes. There appears to be some unusual property in the stone that resonates with the rift energy. I will have to take a sample back to my lab at Torchwood and examine further, with your permission of course," Malcolm reported.

"Excellent Malcolm. Good Work. I don't see any harm in you taking a few scrapings back as long as you don't mind sharing the result."

Perry walked up to the Doctor with some small colored stones in his hand, "Doctor, perhaps you should take these for luck. In my world, it is customary to pass along a memento to those embarking on a journey or quest."

The Doctor put the handful of stones into his pocket, "Thank you Perry. Well, this is it, I'm ready. Let's lower me down."

The Doctor turned the light on his head lamp and swung his legs over the side of the well. He looked over at Perry and Malcolm.

"If this doesn't go well, if I don't see you, tell Pete and Jackie -- well tell them, I'll see them when I can bring Rose home. Tell Jackie, I'll keep my promise. She knows what that means and Perry, if I don't see you again, the Manor…"

"Doctor, I will see you again and Rose. I think it's time," Perry said, interrupting the Doctor.

The Doctor peered down into the well and yelled, "Allonsy!" as he was slowly lowered down into the dark depths.


	7. The Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not an expert on geysers but it was fun reading about them. If you squint, the sciencey geyser part is sort of based on how a cold geyser works.

The Doctor descended into the dark, murky atmosphere of the old well. He looked up once briefly to see Perry and Malcolm, who smiled and nodded, wishing him luck before darkness engulfed him. They lowered him at a slow but steady pace which gave him time to study the interior of the well. There was very little evidence of water. The walls appeared to be coated with dirt and a gray green lichen. He could see nothing beneath him but the inky abyss. The only sounds were the slight creak of the rope and pulley that lowered him down ;and Malcolm asking him if he was okay. Deeper and deeper he descended, and still he could not see any sign of water or the bottom of the well. As the obsidian silence of the well swallowed him, he couldn't help but think of another pit he was once lowered into. He only hoped for his and Rose's sake that anything encountered in this place would be of a kinder, more terrestrial nature.

After being lowered for ten minutes, he stopped. He still could see nothing below him. He yelled up to Malcolm and Perry to keep going, but they didn't respond. The rope jerked upward once and stopped. Then, without warning, he dropped. Cool air rushed around him as he fell faster and faster. If this had been any other time, the feeling would have exhilarated him. But with his urgent need to find Rose, tiny pin pricks of fear clawed their way into his mind.

Just as quickly as he started his free-falling journey, it abruptly ended. He adjusted the head lamp and pulled out his sonic. The walls of this part of the well were damp and glistened with moisture on ebony-like stones. There was a musty, earthy smell. The sonic was identifying large quantities of rift energy so he knew he was close to his ultimate destination. He looked down into the depths and could see something beneath him. A thick, viscous black fluid sparkling with some type of lights was pooled at the bottom of the well.

"Oh, come on! It's hardly fair for you lot to get me down here and stop me now just out of reach!" he complained staring upward into the darkness. "And while we're talking about it, seriously, what is that muck down there? It smells disgusting!" He waved a hand in front of his wrinkled nose. "Blimey, couldn't a bunch of Eternals come up with something a bit more creative than a dark, dingy well."

He scanned the fluid with his sonic and determined it was a mixture of water, mud and plant life intermixed with rift energy. This didn't account for the sparkling lights which seemed to move about in the murky pool. There was also the dilemma of how he would get down there since the rope was no longer lowering. The Doctor carefully started swinging back and forth until he was able to grip the side of the well. Unfortunately, the walls were slippery. He reached into his pocket, and just past the small pebbles Perry had given to him, he found a pocket knife. He opened the blade and the next time he swung to the wall he embedded the blade into a crevice between the stones so he could maintain a grip. He slid his trainer clad feet across the wall, trying to find purchase to see if he could climb down the side. But his trainers slid across the slick surface. 

"Right, so I have to get down there preferably without falling. Think think think." He tapped his forehead assessing, calculating and searching his memory for an answer. "Eternals like to play games, like symbols. Oh, this is like a fairy tale, like Rose and I have been thrust into old earth myths and tales. Water, wells, mythology oh Norse mythology! Mimir's Well, a well of knowledge. Odin had to give up an eye for the knowledge."

The Doctor looked down at the dark water beneath him and winced. "But I like my eye, I'm very attached to my eye. Maybe not Mimir's Well. Hmmm. Germanic and Celtic people often threw coins or armor into a well in hopes of gaining favor or wishes from the water deities. Where's a water deity when you need one!" He scratched at his neck mind whirling and glanced back down. "Caolainn, Celtic Goddess of Wishing Wells, you down there?" The only response was the slight echo of his voice. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to give it a go."

The Doctor reached into his pocket but could find no coins. He did, however, find Perry's good luck stones. He took a few of the colored stones in his hand and soniced them just for scientific research. They were not typical Earth stones.

"Perry, I think I may just love you!" he murmured and kissed one of the stones.

Perry's stones were imbued with a quality which was similar to Perry's empathic abilities with the flora of the garden. The Doctor focused his psychic abilities on the stones to try and further embed them with his "wish" and dropped them into the pool beneath him. He closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could. The pool beneath him began to ripple with movement. The lights flashed across the water faster and faster as a solid surface formed along the edges of the pool. Plant life surfaced and formed a thick mat of black green moss. The Doctor heaved a sigh of relief/

"Thank you, Perry and whatever other forces came to my assistance." He murmured his thanks to Perry, the sentient plant life beneath him and just for luck any water deity who may have been listening. The Doctor pointed the sonic at the rope and he dropped a bit more until finally the latch holding his harness to the rope released him. He dropped easily onto the spongy moss surface around the dark pool. He knelt down and gazed into the water and studied it further. It was then that he realized what it looked like. He was staring at constellations of stars in the dark depths of the pool. The glow from the stars shined an eerie light in the darkness of the well.

That little imp of inquisitiveness tickled the Doctor in the back of his mind encouraged him to explore. What was this place? What was in the pool? He never could resist a mystery. With great care and deliberation, he gently lowered his hand toward pool. Millimeters from touching it, he stopped and closed his eyes. Deep in his mind, in a place, he wasn't used accessing, he felt what he could only describe as the pulse of the universe. In his prior form, he had done his best to block out that feeling. It had been too painful to sense things as they became after the Time War. It wasn't painful anymore but almost a revelation. He didn't know if it was because the pain of the Time War had dulled, if it was being in another universe or if it was due to now being part human.

"Well, look at you," he whispered with wonder.

As he stared at the stars in the pool, he was disturbed to realize he was looking at the Kasterborous system where Gallifrey used to be located.

"But why there? Why are you showing me this? What does this have to do with Rose?" he asked with the slightest bit of agitation. He sat back at the edge and brought his hand away from the pool. Soon the stars in the pool moved into a new formation, one he did not recognize.

As he gazed at the new formation, he heard it. Whispers echoing around the deep well in a softly spoken voice, whispering one word: "Doctor." He knew immediately who it was.

"Rose," he shouted, his echoing voice intermingling with hers forming a melody of vowels and consonants reverberating in this confined dark world. He looked up still unable to see the light from the top of the well and realized he was cocooned in darkness with only the small island of plant life and the pool of stars before him.

"Rose, can you hear me? I'm here Rose. Please, come home!" His voice cracked with emotion. He looked back into the pool and noticed the surface was rippling.

"Whoever you are, I know you have her. I've seen you. I won't ever stop. Do you hear me! Never! Not until my Rose is back home with me," he shouted, his anger increasing at the thought that Rose was being kept from him. He remembered the dream and Rose kneeling close to the water and being pulled into the pond. Once again, he knelt near the black pool and stared into its depths. The stars in the water swirled and shimmered until they filled the pool with light. As the light increased, it revealed one of the walls of the well had the same hieroglyphics that were on the obelisks located near the top of the well. The Doctor also noticed that he could hear Rose's voice again only this time much clearer. 

He looked at the hieroglyphics on the wall and realized they were not random and were actually ancient earth alchemy symbols but it was more than that. The alchemy symbols were layered on something else which is why he didn't realize what they were at first. Someone had layered old earth alchemy symbols on top of ancient High Gallifreyan writing.

"I know you," he whispered. "But why are you here? How did you even get here? My High Gallifreyan may be a bit rubbish but I think... Oh yes, I am clever!!" he shouted to whatever or whoever was listening.

He quickly pulled up some bits of the moss and created a patch of it in almost a nest. Into the moss nest, he placed more of Perry's empathic stones, the MST he created when they first found the TCB and a small piece of coral the other Doctor had given to him at Bad Wolf Bay. He reconfigured the MST to manipulate the energy produced by the combination of the coral, stones and water saturated moss and activated it. This would cause a natural interaction with the rift energy creating a stable gateway. This gateway could be used to access different realities, one of which, if he was very, very lucky would be the one into which Rose had fallen.

He looked back at the pool and immediately noticed a difference. The liquid looked less murky, a bit clearer but the viscosity was still definitely thicker than standard earth water. He removed his head lamp and positioned himself directly over the pool, his face as close as he could get to it without touching and whispered her name with an emotion that came from deep within himself. His eyes widened as he could see Rose's face in the pool. He kept calling to her and watched as she ventured closer and was so close he could see her hair floating just beneath the surface of the pool. He called to her one more time and knew what he had to do. He closed his eyes and whispered, "Please." He opened his eyes, called her name and submersed himself into the pool up to his waist, reaching out to grab her.

The fluid was thick and cold and numbed him from the chill of it, but he wouldn't stop until he reached her. He struggled to make his way through the thick substance which warped his time senses and his relative spacial perception. He had no idea how long it took him to reach her. Grasping her, was like standing in the light of a star warming him against the cold chill of this strange inner space he now fought his way through. He pulled her to him. Wrapping his arms around her until he felt her warmth against him, he tried to find his way back to the other half of his body, pulling and battling to make his way from whence he came, never letting go of her. Fear and exhilaration filled him as well as a concern that they would both suffocate in his this conduit between realities. Quickly he started to feel them move faster and faster almost as if being pulled, like a magnet pulling iron to it. Just when he thought they would die in each other's arms, they burst forth from the pool.

He fell backwards with Rose landing on top of him. Oddly, even after being submersed in the thick fluid of the strange pool, neither had a drop of water anywhere on them. The Doctor opened his eyes and gazed at Rose lying on top of him, trembling slightly. He smiled wondrously at her. 

When she opened her eyes and saw him, her expression softened and tears fell down her face. Before he could say one word, her mouth was on his, her soft lips caressing his gently sucking his bottom lip into her mouth, tasting and branding him with such love and passion. He breathed her in, moaning into her, holding her tightly against him like she was the sustenance he could not live without. When she finally parted from him, she smiled. She ran her hands through his unkempt hair and across his rough unshaven face.

"Hello," she said softly against his chest.

"Long time, no see," he barely croaked out, holding her tight.

"Well, been a bit busy," she replied remembering this same conversation oh so long ago and letting go long enough to look lovingly at him but still holding him to her tightly.  
"Let's never do that again, okay," she said tears still glistening in her eyes.

"Nope, never," he replied as he sat them both up. They grinned at each other in a way that only they could. Surviving the impossible was just so them.

"Right, so where are we and I swear if you answer me with a riddle or philosophical rubbish, I'm gonna slap you," Rose teased.

"A bit out of sorts are we? Must have been some trip for you?"

"You have no idea. Let's just say, I never want to play croquet ever again," she answered as she rose to her knees and looked around running a hand through her hair.

"Croquet? What's wrong with Croquet? It’s such a civilized, refined game."

"Doctor, there was nothing civilized about this game or the loonies who were playing it. Can we talk about this later? I just want to go home and have a hot shower."

"Easy peasy!" the Doctor said, snapping his fingers as he stood up invigorated and joyous now that Rose was back.

"Doctor, are we in some sort of cave and what is that?" Rose asked, pointing at the rope which appeared to be hanging from the black nothingness.

"Oh, we're at the bottom of an impossible old well in the middle of the garden; which as it turns out is a gateway between dimensions filled with rift energy and with some truly impossible symbols written on the wall. I sort of had Perry and Malcolm lower me down but then got caught up in some cosmic eddy which dropped me down here. A bit odd that, wasn't expecting it; the ride down was a bit fun though," the Doctor answered her as he bounced on the solid ground beneath the rope.

Rose stared at him. "Oh, is that all. Don't suppose anything else happened while I was in the nether world filled with nutters?" she asked, staring at him.

"Nether world?"

"Yep, they may have mentioned you were getting a visitor. Did you?"

"Um, well, yes, actually I did. Who are they?" he asked in a curious tone.

"Oh, you know Eternals, bored lot of ancients," she answered, waving her hand in the air as if it were nothing.

The Doctors eyes grew large and round. "You played a game of croquet with Eternals!" he shouted at her. "Rose, what did I tell you about how dangerous they are!"

Rose stood up in front of him crossing her arms. "Well it wasn't like I had a choice! I had to play their games. And don't think I enjoyed it. You didn't answer my question, which one came to see you?"

The Doctor deflated a bit, looked up at the rope, "You’re right, we should talk about this later. We need to get topside before Malcolm calls Pete. Somehow I think if Jackie hears about this, there'll be a slapping," he said, neatly avoiding answering her question.

Rose narrowed her eyes at him and knew it must have been bad. Taking in his appearance, concern twisted in he stomach. She walked over and put her hand on his arm. "Doctor, you look awful, like you haven't slept. I'm worried about you. When we get out of here, we have a lot to talk about."

"Hmm, yes, talk," he answered while looking around sonicing the walls and whatever was above them.

Rose saw that she wasn't going to get anywhere with him so she walked across the mossy surface over to the symbols on the wall that looked like they were written in chalk of some kind. She gently touched them and then turned toward the Doctor who appeared to be muttering in some strange alien dialect while slapping the sonic against his palm.

"Doctor, if we reach the rope, how we gonna get out?"

"Well, we need to trigger the energy that whisked me down here," he said while staring upward.

"What if we were to trigger the energy in the pool that pushed us out? Couldn't we get it to work like, I dunno, a geyser?"

The Doctor stopped and looked at Rose, a huge manic grin on his face. "Oh, I missed you!"

The Doctor pulled the remainder of Perry's stones from his pocket and knelt by the MST. Rose knelt down beside him.

"Doctor, what's this? How can I help?"

"Well, when you were a wee little Rose, did you ever make a wish and throw a coin into a fountain?"

"Yeah, sure, but what does that have to do with this?"

"Well there might be a way to use a wish and when I say wish I mean a really strong psychic message imbued in one of these stones to cause a reaction in the pool," he said, showing her the stones in his hand.

"You've got magic stones? Sort of like the beans in Jack and the beanstalk?" Rose asked skeptically.

"Not magic, Rose, there's no such thing as magic and they weren't magic beans. They were genetically mutated seed pods from the planet Crescere that happened to find a suitable soil on Earth," lectured the Doctor while gently laying the stones down on the moss near the MST.

"Right, next you're gonna tell me you were Jack and the Brothers Grimm got it all wrong," Rose said, looking at him expectantly.

He looked up at her indignantly, "Well they did! Honestly, magic beans! At least they got the giant part right. Jack was really Jacey, a brilliant young girl. She saved the world too. The whole beanstalk thing was a complete accident. I mean one little trip and before you know it there's a huge, insidious vine popping up and it's all giants and chaos," he said gesturing with his hands, face animated while he worked with the MST. He paused and looked up, "Sort of brilliant now I think about it. Jacey and her Mum did well though, a few lumps of gold sorted them."

Rose shook her head and then smiled brightly, "You know, Doctor, you could write a book just describing how the Brothers Grimm got it all wrong." 

He looked up at her and grinned. "So you think I should keep writing then?"

"You have to. It would be brilliant! Besides, I love hearing about your adventures, especially all the stuff that's wrong in the history books."

"Welll, we'll see once we get out of here. Speaking of which, I'm just about done."

"So what's gonna happen with the stones and how's it gonna get us out?" Rose asked.

"Well, the stones are going to pass on an psychic message to the sentient plant life beneath us and it's gonna sink down into the pool, creating two distinct layers. The lower layer of the water will become suffused with CO2, the pressure will build as the CO2 bubbles expand and it will shoot upwards to release the pressure and guided by rift energy, shoot us up back to the proper well where Perry and Malcolm are waiting to pull us up. All we need to do is get up the rope, drop the stones into the pool and use the MST to activate everything."

"Doctor, how we gonna get up to the rope," Rose asked nervously.

"Wellll, you're gonna climb up on my shoulders and reach the rope. Then, you're gonna fuse my belt to the end of it with the sonic. You shimmy up the rope and I'll use the belt to climb up after you and we'll use your, um, undergarments to tie you into my harness."

"Hold on. You mean you want to use my brassier to somehow tie me into the harness thingy?" She looked askance at him.

"Just trust me, Rose, it will be fine. Now about that undergarment?”

Rose quickly shimmied out of her violet blue brassier in a move that any gymnast would envy and without ever lifting any other article of clothing. The Doctor arched a brow at her, having a few thoughts on her flexibility before he pulled his belt off as well. Stuffing her brassier into one of his pockets, he handed his belt to Rose. Next, he put the MST, coral, sonic and imbued stones in his other pocket. Rose climbed up on his shoulders and he boosted her up to the rope and handed her the sonic so she could fuse the belt to the rope.

"Doctor, it's done and feels secure."

"Okay, Rose, I need you to shimmy up the rope to the harness latch."

Rose climbed her way up with minimal rope burns to her hands. Once she was secure, the Doctor jumped up and grabbed the belt and swung to the wall where the knife was still embedded. Rose grabbed the knife to try and steady the rope so the Doctor could use the wall as leverage and climb and shimmy his way up the rope. Once he reached her, they settled into a comfortable position, he pulled out her brazier and she handed him the sonic.

"You gonna stare at it or use it?" Rose asked giggling a bit as the brassier dangled in front of the Doctor.

The Doctor stared at her bra. "I think later on, I should describe to you the many uses for this handy little item. Rose Tyler you would be stunned and amazed at all the things you can do with a brassier, aside from the obvious, of course," he said as he soniced it.

Rose giggled as she contemplated that conversation: the Doctor with his sexy specs on lecturing her on the many uses of a brassier. She could just see him in full professor mode with diagrams on chalkboards as well as pointing out the elasticity and scientific theory about brassiers using some little pieces of lacy lingerie as examples. Her cheeks flushed and she blushed all the way down to her tippy toes which were curling at the thought.

"What?" he asked, just looking at her with that "I don't know what I've done but she's smiling so it must be good" look.

"Nothing. How we coming, you ready to strap me in?"

"Yep, hang on," he said as he stretched the bra in a manner it was clearly not designed for and would never work without Time Lord tweaking.

"Now hang on tight. This may get a bit tetchy," he told her as he gripped her firmly to him. He put his sonic in his pocket and pulled out the stones which he gave one more psychic push to before dropping them into the pool beneath them. He then reached in to retrieve the MST and activated it, holding it in his hand while he wrapped both arms around Rose.

There was a wet, rumbling noise beneath them and the walls of the well started to vibrate.

"Is it suppose to do that?" Rose asked.

"Umm, maybe," he answered. "Rose close your eyes and hang tight, don't let go no matter what."

With eyes squeezed tight, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and whispered, "I love you" into his ear. Seconds later there was a whoosh and they were hurtling upwards. The air pressure changed slightly and they were jerked once to the side and then thrust upward, winds howling around them as the gained momentum. Soon the wind was dying down and Rose heard someone yell "Doctor." The next thing she knew she was laying on a stone surface looking up into a dark sky filled with stars and feeling the damp chill of the night air.

A warm blanket was draped over her and she looked up to see Malcolm fussing and sounding very Malcomy.

"Malcolm!" She shouted with joy and wrapped him in a big hug. "Thank you for helping the Doctor. Where is he, is he okay?"

"Oh, yes, he's fine, better than fine. He just wanted to assure the well was capped and everything was secure so we didn't have a multidimensional implosion," Malcolm recited as if that was the most normal thing in the world.

"Of course," Rose responded. She looked over and saw the Doctor fussing with some equipment near what she assumed was the top of the well. "Malcolm what happened? Did the geyser shoot us out of the well?"

"Geyser? Really, how extraordinary. The Doctor never mentioned a geyser. There is certainly no indication in the geological records of anything that would produce a geyser. I must re-check the readings and the geologic surveys of this area," Malcolm said, adjusting his glasses as he walked back over to the Doctor.

After Malcolm left, Perry came over and handed Rose a cup of hot tea.

"Oh, Perry! Thank you, just what I needed. Don't suppose you can tell me how we got the rest of the way out of the well?"

"I am pleased you are home, Rose. Your emergence from the well was quite spectacular. Malcolm and I were enjoying a cup of tea when there was an unusual rumbling sound emanating from the well. We called to the Doctor and he answered followed by a prodigious amount of wind rushing out of the well. We immediately, began the process of pulling up the rope. Unfortunately, you were swept up in the concussion of the wind and I'm afraid you took a fall off the side of the well. The Doctor was most concerned but deemed you undamaged."

"Oh, well, that's good," she said, relishing the strong tea. "Thanks for being here for him, Perry. I know he needed help."

"The plants in the garden require the light of the sun for photosynthesis, to grow and thrive, so is it with the Doctor. He requires his Rose. You should rest. When the sun rises, its light shall reveal the wonders of the garden as well as all that transpired during its absence," Perry said while patting Rose softly on the shoulder.

Rose settled down and looked over to the well watching Perry and the Doctor work. She watched Malcolm packing up the equipment. When Malcolm picked up the rope and harness, she burst out laughing. Rose would never forget the mouth dropping look on Malcolm's face as he delicately lifted up the violet blue Time Lord altered brassier modified harness.


	8. An Offer They Couldn't Refuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gives Rose and TenII a small break before… well I won't ruin it for you but they learn they're going to be quite busy. Remember TCB is Temporal Creature Below. I promise they are trying to work on growing the Tardis Nursery but those pesky Eternals keep getting in the way.

As the sun rose over Dutton Manor, the Doctor, Rose, Perry and Malcolm made their way back through the garden. During their journey, Perry and Malcolm recounted what happened after the Doctor descended into the well.

"Well Doctor I must say, I greatly anticipate hearing your observations of your descent," Malcolm said with an excited lilt to his voice. Ten minutes after we lowered you, there was an atmospheric variance, the humidity increased by twenty-five percent and the temperature dropped five degrees. You plummeted at quite an accelerated rate and we were unable to slow your descent. As quickly as the phenomena began, it halted and we could no longer communicate with you. Most disturbing."

"How long were we gone? I'm afraid I sort of lost track what with the whole universal eddy and all," the Doctor asked.

"You descended at the solar apex and emerged ten degrees after the peak of the lunar cycle," replied Perry.

"What did you do while the Doctor was down there?" asked Rose, holding the Doctor's hand tightly in hers as they made their way back to the house.

"Well we did attempt to test the rope but it would not budge," Malcom responded. "We decided it would be prudent to give the Doctor sufficient time to locate you so we continued to record readings from the monitoring equipment and well, we waited," Malcolm flinched as a branch smacked him in the face.

"Well thank you again, both of you," Rose said with an emotional emphasis. "The Doctor and I owe you a tremendous favor. Malcolm, I don't suppose I could ask you this but, it would be real helpful if you didn't tell anyone at Torchwood about this. I mean I don't want you to keep secrets or lie but, well Pete and Mum would just have a fit. I hope you understand," Rose said with pleading eyes.

"Yes well Rose, the Doctor and I spoke about this and I agreed to keep this matter between us unless things became…"

"Excuse me Malcolm, but Doctor, Rose I believe you have a guest," Perry politely interrupted as they exited the garden in front of the solarium.

Just then Jackie came around the corner, "There you are! I've been ringing you for two bleedin days! Why didn't you answer or ring me back!"

"Jackie, how did you get back here?" the Doctor asked a little perturbed that his security measures were thwarted so easily.

"Well when you didn't answer the door I went round side and found the gate open," she answered eyes narrowing on their group. "What are you lot up to?" She zeroed in on Rose. "What has he done this time? Oh sweetheart, you look ragged." Jackie brushed by the Doctor and took Rose's hand leading her into the house.

"Yes well Doctor, I should really be getting back to my lab," stuttered Malcolm, clearly anxious to be away from what appeared to be an uncomfortable domestic situation. "I'll just take the samples and readings back for evaluation and we can meet later and discuss the results," he said as he made his way out toward the side gate.

"Oh Malcolm you don't have to go," the Doctor said with a touch of desperation.

"Oh, no, no, no, really I must be going but Doctor, I just, well I want to thank you for calling me. This was extraordinary and I'm glad Rose is home safe. If anything should come up, well, I'm honored that you have such faith in me and I would enjoy working with you again; perhaps on a slightly less death defying project. Anyway, uh good luck." He waved and ducked out the gate, tripping as he exited. The Doctor turned to Perry only to find him gone. He set his rucksack down by the door, took a deep breath and went in to face the wrath of Jackie.

Jackie and Rose had made tea and were sitting in living room.

"Honestly Rose, you look like you've been rolling around in the garden. I was worried sick when I couldn't get a hold of you. Who knows what could've happened in this place," Jackie commented while looking around suspiciously.

Rose smiled, feeling the comforting hum of the TCB and sipped her tea leaning back in the comfortable leather chair before responding. "Mum everything's fine. The Doctor and me were just working on a project in the garden and I left my mobile in the house. Did you notice the progress in the garden. Perry's just amazing."

"It's you I'm worried about not the flowers," Jackie emphasized, seettling on chair near Rose. "And what about the Doctor's mobile? Didn't he have his in one of those pockets he's always going on about?"

"The Doctor's always forgetting about it. You know how he gets and he hates using it."

"Sweetheart, you live in a haunted house, people worry about you. You're lucky it was me and not Torchwood busting down the door." Jackied heaved a sigh and picked up her tea pausing to scrutinize the cup.

"Mum, I understand you worry, but you have to trust us," Rose implored. "Torchwood knows we can handle ourselves. I promise I'll do better with my mobile."

Jackie sighed and continued, "I was ringing you to invite you to Tony's birthday party next week. I emailed you the details so I expect you to be there and no alien stuff either."

"Yes Mum we'll be there, anything I can bring?" Rose asked, knowing the Doctor would whinge about leaving the TCB.

"Just himself," Jackie answered as she started gathering up the tray and shoving a biscuit at Rose. "I think you're over doing it. No doubt do the haunted whatever in the house." The lights flickered in response. Jackie frowned before turning back to Rose. "The two of you look rough. Why don't you head up stairs and get yourself sorted and I'll take care of a hot meal for you." She frowned and sniffed. "Really, couldn't you have taken a break to at least bathe? I mean it's bad enough the house is filthy," Jackie commented as walked toward the kitchen.

The TCB was definitely not amused and the lights continued to flicker during Jackie's trip to the kitchen. Rose was a little worried what awaited Jackie in the kitchen but was more anxious for a shower.

"Everything all right in here?" the Doctor asked peeking a head through the doorway.

"Mum's cooking for us."

The Doctor's face scrunched up, "And what are we doing about that?"

"Don't know about you but I'm taking a hot shower," Rose responded stretching as she stood up. "I'm too knackered to care at this point. Come on, you can give me a hand," Rose said and grabbed his pulling him toward the stairs.

"But, the TCB and the rift readings…" the Doctor said with little conviction whilst being lead away.

"Can wait," Rose said with a sparkle in her eye before running her fingers across his stubble covered jaw. "Come on, you look a bit scruffy. We'll both be feeling better after we're clean."

"So we just getting clean are we," he said, smirking. Rose giggled and smiled a naughty little smile at him and pulled him up the stairs.

While Rose and the Doctor shared a long hot shower, Jackie was dealing with issues in the kitchen. First, the stove wouldn't turn on and then it turned all the way on high with flames shooting as high as Jackie's head. Once she got that under control, eggs she set on the counter exploded showering her with shells and bits of yolk. Needless to say, cleaning raw exploded egg off of herself did not put her in the kindest of moods. The last straw was when she turned around and found all the dishes she laid out had disappeared.

Jackie slammed a pan on the stove, turned around hands on hips and glared at the ceiling. "All right, now see here. I can accept my daughter is in love with that alien git. I can even accept they live in a haunted house but I won't have you interfering when all I'm trying to do is feed them," she shouted at the ceiling.

The lights flickered in response.

"Fine, be that way!" she grumbled. "You're only hurting them you know." She sighed and tossed a dish towell on the counter. "Can't we just call a truce or something?" 

The lights flickered twice and when she looked back at the table, all the dishes were there including the tea service.

"Thanks, just don't go thinking I like you," Jackie warned shaking her finger at the ceiling.

The Doctor and Rose reappeared over an hour later giggling and bumping shoulders, both looking refreshed and happy.

"Well it's about time, I was just about to go looking for you two. At least you look cleaner. Now then, let's get some food in you. Go on both of you."

They sat down and ate everything Jackie put in front of them, beans on toast, boiled eggs and sausages. 

"Mum this is delicious. Thanks for this," Rose said, after finishing and humming over her cuppa.

"Yes Jackie, I must say, this was quite good. A bit surprising but good," the Doctor complimented.

"Good! At least I know you're not starting." She looked at her watch and gathered up her jacket. "I've got to be off. I'm meeting the party planner in an hour. I'll leave you two to clean up. Don't forget Tony's party." 

As they walked Jackie to her car, Rose noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She hugged Jackie good bye and turned to the Doctor. 

"Doctor, you know while I was in that nether world, I met a bunch of these Eternals."

"Yes you mentioned croquet.

Rose nodded. "They all had names like Turmoil, Jubilee, Hope and Jinx and all such. Well, I think I just saw Jinx dash around the corner into the garden."

Without another word, the doctor sprinted around the side of the house. Rose followed and skidded to a halt when she found the Doctor just outside the solarium staring into the Garden. Rose grasped his hand.

"Do you see something?" she asked, catching her breath.

"No but you're right, something is here. Let's go inside." His voice was quiet with an edge.

Scanning the area and worried about Perry, Rose allowed the Doctor to guide her into the solarium and eventually the library where he positioned himself so he could look out the windows periodically.

"Do you want to tell me what happened while I was gone?" Rose asked him.

"Welll, you disappeared, I had a look around and then an Eternal calling himself Havoc popped in for tea. Turns out he was your friend from the fountain who wanted the orb -- still wants it actually. Bit of a bad attitude."

Rose winced. "Yeah, I think some of the ones I met might have been mates of his."

"Rose, what exactly happened to you. You said you played a game. What was that about?"

Rose sat down on the brown leather sofa and slumped in obvious distress. "It was awful. This game, if you won a hoop, you got to choose a pivotal point in time and space and decide which way it went."

"Such as," the Doctor pushed her.

"Such as whether or not Pete caught me and saved me from the void," she told him voice cracking. They told me they decided that and once the decision was made, it couldn't be changed.

The Doctor sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "What did you decide Rose," he whispered into her ear.

"That's just it, I couldn't so they made up another game where they put all these suggestions in a basket and I had to pick two since I won two hoops. The first one it was easy, it was about whether not there'd be bananas on Earth and--"

"What!" His voice pitched up in outrage. "What kind of sadistic loony would even consider that! Rose what did you do! This, this is very important!" Yhe Doctor jumped up and starting to pace back and forth in front of her.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Oh please like I'm not gonna make sure there are bananas."

The Doctor stopped pacing and sat back down next to her smiling, "That's my Rose! So, what was the other thing?"

"It was about the TCB, about creating the new species and growing them. The weird part was that none of them who played put it in the basket. They all looked a bit spooked about that."

"Anything else?” the Doctor asked with an urgency in his voice.

"Yeah, I won the game with Turmoil in a bit of a tie. They never told me what that meant. Oh and after the whole basket thing they sent me on my way and I met the Golfer."

The Doctor stilled and stared across the room blankly. He looked down before speaking. "This Golfer, I suppose he had some things to say."

"Yeah, A lot of stuff about you, me, the TCB and the other Doctor," Rose responded, tucking hair behind her ear.

He turned back and looked at her and asked softly, "What did he say?"

"He mentioned a darkness being in you and the other Doctor but especially him," Rose answered, meeting his gaze before staring down at her lap. "Doctor he said that all of us were changing." She swallowed hard before looking back at the Doctor. "He said you wouldn't want to but you have to and that these Eternals would be watching you cause they think you can be persuaded to help them. He talked about time lines too. Doctor. He said it was real important that we help the TCB grow more creatures of time."

The Doctor slowly got up and walked to the windows hands in his pockets. He turned and looked at Rose, "None of what's happened is an accident. And this isn't something we can run from. In fact, I think we're going need help."

"What do you mean, you said we had to keep the TCB a secret."

"I know but things have changed. The Eternals add a new spin on this. It's clear everything, our meeting the TCB and what she wants to do -- us growing TARDIS -- it's all much, much bigger."

Rose walked up to him and took both his hands in hers. "This is about the balance of the Multiverse isn't it?" She paused, looking down and then back up into his eyes. "Seems like I've been hearing a lot about that lately. They all keep calling us creatures of time and saying how important it is cause of the Time War. It's because there aren't many creatures of time left and things are out of balance isn't it? These Eternals are fighting over who controls what happens and how, but if there were more of us, more people sensitive to Time then things would be a bit calmer, Right?"

The Doctor closed his eyes and leaned over pressing his forehead to hers. "Oh Rose, this my fault. I caused this and now I have to fix it but I can't do it alone. I never wanted this for you, I just wanted us…"

"Stop!" She tightened her grip on him. "Listen to me, I made my choice to always be with you no matter what and after all this, I'm glad. I'm happy here with you. We were always getting in trouble and you know what? It was the happiest time of my life. So no more broody Doctor yeah? Let's just do this. I'm ready and everything will be fine as long as we do it together. So, who did ya have in mind?"

The Doctor looked her in the eyes and smiled. "I think it might be time for us to have a chat with Perry for starters."

Before the Doctor could continue there was tapping at the window. They looked over and waving merrily at them was Jinx, Turmoil and Faith. The Doctor and Rose walked outside hand in hand. They found Turmoil balancing on a chair while throwing a ball to Jinx who was perched on the birdbath. Faith was sitting quietly off to the side working on some needlepoint.

"Hello Rose!" shouted Turmoil with great joy. "We've missed you! It's all so boring when you're not around. And this must be the Doctor. Have a nice ride yesterday? I have to say, I've always thought about surfing the cosmic eddy. You two did make quite a splash didn't you!"

Jinx took the ball and threw it at the chair causing Turmoil to come crashing down which had an domino effect of the chair hitting other chairs which knocked a table over into some bushes which tipped over the bird bath making Jinx hop off of just in time. Jinx jumped up and down in delight.

"Oh Rose, your garden is just so much fun!" Jinx exclaimed.

Faith set down her needlepoint and walked over to the Doctor and Rose, her blue sari blowing gently in the wind, "Doctor, I've heard so much about you."

The Doctor clenched his jaw and nodded. "So to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit."

Turmoil bounded up next to Jinx, winking at Rose, "Oh come now Doctor, it's not like we've never crossed paths before. Part human or not, you know how this works."

The Doctor's posture stiffened and he stepped in between Rose and Turmoil in a confrontational manner. "Let's get down to it shall we? Why are you here now?"

"Ohhhh cranky Doctor! Havoc was right, you are too easy to provoke," Jinx said with a cock of her head, grin directed at the Doctor.

Rose could see the Doctor on the edge. She needed to step in before things got out of hand. "Faith, I know this isn't random, do you have something to tell us?"

Faith smiled serenely, "We have reached an agreement among ourselves to provide you with an opportunity."

"What sort of opportunity?" asked the Doctor, calmer but still quite tense.

"You have an object, a special object that many desire. Certainly you know by now that there is nothing you can do to stop anyone or anything in pursuit of this object. It endangers your lives and the lives of all those you hold dear. After great debate, it was decided to provide you an opportunity to win freedom from such dangers."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, stepping beside the Doctor.

"Well sweet Rose, if you and the Doctor here can complete a list of tasks within a particularly boring lineal time frame, we will assure that those in pursuit of the nasty little orb are permanently removed from your lives," Turmoil told her.

The Doctor sighed grasped Rose's hand. "You know, been there, done that with you lot in the other Universe. So, go on then, tell us about these tasks."

"Humans have this myth about someone who was part human and part Greek or Roman God, depending on which version you believe," Faith explained. "He committed an act of atrocity and his penance was to complete twelve tasks." 

"Hercules. Your talking about the Labors of Hercules," the Doctor answered, his eyes darkening with emotion.

"What do you mean Labors?" Rose asked worried about the Doctor's reactions.

"Blimey Rose, for a human you really know nothing of your own mythology!" Turmoil interrupted, shaking his head and chuckling. "If you believe the Roman version of things, Hercules was the son of Zeus and a human woman named Alcmene and was considered a demigod. Of course, Zeus had this wife, Hera, who was jealous so she sort of cursed him into a rage one day. While in this rage, Hercules killed his own children and afterwards, when he realized what he did, fell into despair. He went to an Oracle who sent him to this bloke, King Eurystheus who gave him twelve labors to complete in penance."

"I take it our tasks will be different than Hercules, specially since more than half those things don't exist," the Doctor asked his voice vibrating with a mixture of anger and sadness.

"The tasks will be appropriate for creatures such as yourself and must be completed by both of you. This is the offer. Do both of you accept?" Faith asked.

The Doctor turned to Rose. "You don't have to do this. This is my penance, my responsibility. I'm the killer here. I committed the atrocities in the Time War, not you." His face paled and he slumped inward with anguish and his eyes wet with tears he would never let fall.

"No Way!" Rose exclaimed. "I told you, I'm never gonna leave you and never gonna let you face this alone. Besides, it's not like I haven't killed Daleks and we haven't even talked about the things I did while crossing the void. Besides, they said it had to be both of us." Rose pulled him into her harms, wrapping herself around him as if the shear act of it would make all the trouble go away.

"Sorry you two, but we need an answer and well now would be good," reminded Turmoil.

The Doctor stepped back looking Rose in the eyes and responded, "Yeah, we accept but under conditions. Rose and I are allowed to bring in help from anyone or any creature we want and use anything in the multiverse to aid us in these tasks; and we want a covenant with all Eternals that if we complete these tasks, in addition to the Eternals or any of their agents leaving us be, we keep the orb and dispose of it how we see fit without further interference from any Eternal. If any one of you violates this covenant then that breach will bare the same repercussions as a violation of your code of conduct."

"Agreed, on behalf of all Eternals, I bind all of us to this agreement," said Faith.

Turmoil slapped his hands together and rubbed them, "Excellent! Oh this is going to be so much fun!"

"You will be informed of the tasks and the timeline for their accomplishment," Faith told them. She then turned and along with Jinx and Turmoil disappeared into the garden.

Rose and the Doctor stilled in shock. "Somehow, I don't think we've seen the last of any of them," Rose said with a sigh.

The Doctor smiled. "Oh I'm sure not. In the meantime, we have the old girl here to take care of. We can't let a bunch of Eternals distract us."

Rose and the Doctor turned and went back into the manor. As they walked through the house, they noticed a large wicker basket sitting on a table in the entryway. The basket was filled with twelve rolls of parchment all tied with a silver ribbon.

"Now we're in trouble," Rose muttered softly.


	9. What Have We Done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick reminders: MST - multispacial transducer - transporter and much tinkered with gadget that does amazing things. Abbie the alien estate agent - mentioned in my first fic who was swept away by a bounty hunter. Oh yes there is an anagram in this fic. Next chapter was a hoot to write and has our happy couple leaving Earth for their first task.

In the time it took Rose to shower, wash and dry her hair and generally get ready for bed, the Doctor had plastered the walls of their bedroom with twelve unrolled scrolls along with post it notes scribbled with Gallifreyan writing. Still dressed in his brown pin stripe suit, glasses and white trainers he was pacing back in forth in front of each, occasionally scribbling more notes which he would stick up on the wall in some pattern only he understood.

"Doctor what are you doing?" asked Rose as she stared at the paper strewn wall, worrying that their bedroom had now become an extension of his study.

"Hmmm, oh Rose! What are you doing here?" he asked without looking at her seemingly oblivious that he was working in their bedroom.

"Getting ready for bed. What are you doing?" Rose answered, walking up next to him to look at the parchment on the wall. "None of this is in English," she pointed out.

"What, oh no, English is a rubbish language for Eternal type communications. They prefer something a bit more elegant."

Rose poked him in the shoulder. "Rude!"

"Was I, oh sorry," he answered absentmindedly, still staring at one parchment in particular.

"So you going to tell me what any of this means?"

The Doctor turned to her looking at her properly now. He smiled when he saw that she was wearing. It was the royal blue silk chemise he had given to her as a gift for her birthday prior to their move to Dutton manner and which he had forgotten until Jackie's scathing phone call. He couldn't help but admire how it clung to her curves. HIs skin flushed at the thought of what that silky material would feel like against his skin. And then ther was the tantalizing scent of jasmine she wore-- It occurred to him that some of the more human aspects of his physiology were hijacking his Time Lord brain at the moment as he lingered in an erotic daydream.

Rose snapped her fingers in front of his face since he had been standing their just staring at her for several minutes without answering her. "Doctor, hey you listening to me?"

"What? oh yes!" He shook himself before refocusing. "These parchments are the tasks we must complete. They're numbered so there is an order to them and they want each of them done by a particular deadline. A bit lineal of them really." He sniffed and turned back to the parchments.

"So what's first and how long do we have to get it done?"

"Well the first refers to the Nemean Lion. In the original story, Hercules was tasked with killing the beast and returned with its skin which was impenetrable almost like armor. Our task is quite similar. On the planet Cleone there is a myth about a beast that resides in the fuchsia forests. It's said to devour anyone who wanders through the forest unescorted by the local militia. We are to retrieve its hide which withstands all known weapons and deliver it to the Temple of Neatha. All of this is to be completed in what translates to sixty earth days from today."

Rose was taken aback. "But that's off world! How are we going to get there? How long will it take to get there? We don't even have a spaceship much less a TARDIS," Rose said biting her lip.

"Relax, we've got plenty of time and we'll just hitch a ride," the Doctor said, a light in his eyes at the thought of a new adventure and traveling in this new universe. "Think about it Rose, there's a whole universe here that neither of us have seen!"

Rose couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm. "All right, but not until after Tony's birthday party. That gives us a couple of days to figure it out and talk to Perry about watching over the TCB," Rose said, walking over to a wall and stroking it, thinking warm thoughts for the TCB.

The Doctor stepped next to her and put his hand over hers on the wall and closed his eyes. He could feel the TCB warm and content in his mind and something else. He quickly realized that bright spot of happiness which he visualized as a multi faceted peridian crystal sparkling rainbows in the sunshine was Rose. He opened his eyes and stepped back to look at her. 

She opened her eyes startled by his intent stare.

"Rose, that was you," he said softly with wonder in his voice. "I felt you and the TCB. You've learned to communicate with her. That's brilliant!"

Rose blushed. "Well, I kind of figured it out and wanted to talk to you about it. It's just....well it's not always warm like that and I was afraid of what you'd think."

"Oh Rose, I'm thrilled!" he assured her and squeezed her shoulders. "I didn't think it would be possible. It's part of how you're changing. Wait! What do you mean it's not always warm like that? What's going on?" A dark protective mask slipped into place.

Arms wrapped around herself, Rose walked over sat on their massive bed. "I've been having these dreams and sometimes nightmares. I can't remember them when I wake up but I know if they were bad. Sometimes it leaves me feeling scared and worried. I mean I know their just nightmares but--"

The Doctor sat next to her "Rose, never ever worry about telling me things like this. Promise me you'll talk to me. You're tapping into a latent psychic ability and picking up on some of the TCB's connection to the rift. Your bound to feel and sense disturbing images. No wonder you were talking to yourself in the greenhouse. It's how your mind is learning to cope with the new information and new senses. Why were you afraid to tell me?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Rose looked down, "I was afraid you would make it stop and I didn't want it to. She's a dear friend to me. I'd miss her and she'd miss me. I don't know how to describe it. Can you understand?"

The Doctor pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's all right," he said in a soft voice. "I do understand and you're fine and so are we. But from now on we talk about this, no more bad dreams and no more misunderstandings." He took her hand in his, his thumb rubbing light circles over the pulse point on her wrist. "We're all connected now you know, the three of us. If you want, the next time you have a bad dream, I could take a look and see what's going on up here," he said gently tapping her temple.

She looked up at him, "Yeah, I think I might like that. I hate not knowing what's going on. It feels important. Why do you think I can't remember?"

You've been going through an immense change not to mention all that void travel. And you weren't taking care of yourself very well either." He arched a brow practically tutting at her. 

"Don't deny it, Jackie told me. And it's nothing to be worried or scared about. You don't remember because you're not ready. I can't be sure without examining you, but I would guess you are using substantially more of your brain than any other human. It'll take time for you to acclimate to the new senses you're developing. Once you're ready, I'll teach you how to use these new skills as well as protect yourself. Can't let you wander around the universe without protecting your new psychic abilities now can I."

Rose smiled and let out a big yawn. "I'm knackered. It's been a long two days. Coming to bed?" she asked, stroking his tie.

"Rose Tyler are you trying to get me into your bed?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Rose gave him that naughty little smile showing just the tip of tongue.

"Maybe I'm not that knackered after all," she murmured as she pulled down by his tie. He hummed as her lips met his. They paused to make short work of his trainers, jacket and trousers. His tie was tossed up by the pillows as Rose focused on a long sensous kiss, running her hands up his chest and around his shoulders into his hair. Legs tangled, he moaned into her mouth, hands slipping under her chemise cupping her breasts. Just as his mouth was trailing its way down her neck, he heard a noise that didn't belong. Immediately, his head popped up. Rose looked up to him with hazy, lust filled eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Umm nothing, I'm sure it's nothing. Where were we?" A lacicivious smile lit his face as he latched onto her neck.

Just as he was getting focused again, there was another scuffling sound. This one loud enough that Rose heard it.

"Doctor, there's someone downstairs," she whispered loudly, staring at the door. The Doctor sighed, grabbed his jacket and hopped off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked.

"Downstairs to have a word with someone or thing with freakishly bad timing," he snapped.

"Not without me you're not!" Rose insisted in a loud whisper

They crept quietly down the dark stairs, the Doctor with his sonic in his hand and Rose close behind him. When they reached the first floor, they saw a light in the kitchen. With tentative soft steps, they padded toward the door to the kitchen. They could hear some opening cupboards. The Doctor turned to Rose and gestured with his hand to jump through the doorway on a count of three. He held up one finger, then two then he jumped through the door sonic held before him. Rose rolled her eyes and walked in behind him and flipped on the light.

Before them on the counter, was a blonde curly haired girl with green eyes wearing blue overalls with a pink t-shirt and pink trainers. She appeared to be about eight years old. She stood still, her eyes wide with a box of biscuits in her hand which she promptly dropped.

"Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to break anything. it was an accident, honest!" she said loudly, staring at the Doctor.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" he asked suspiciously.

"Doctor she's just a kid. Put that thing away," Rose said as she swatted the hand holding the sonic and walked over to the little girl. "All right you, what's your name and where are you from," Rose asked arms crossed.

"Sabrina and I'm not from around here. Umm you're Rose and the Doctor, right? I'm suppose to help you," she answered.

"Okay but how did you get in the house and what do you mean your suppose to help us? Help us with what?" the Doctor asked peering at her with curiosity.

"I was told you needed a lift. A friend of mine owes you a favor so I'm here to transport you."

"How you gonna do that? You're just a kid," Rose asked.

"Oh I don't think she is," the Doctor stated.

"Kid! I'll have you know that I'm just past a century Earth standard time!" Sabrina retorted. "This is just a disguise. The creatures of this world wouldn't understand me and I didn't want become some primitive's experiment. No offence," she said sweetly to Rose. “Do you mind if I have biscuit? These chocolate sandwiches are my favorite and you can only get them on Earth," she said while bending down to pick up the package and plucking out a biscuit to munch on.

"Yeah, sure why not," Rose answered with a shrug.

"Roooose, those are the good biscuits!" the Doctor whined.

"Let her have 'em if she's going to help us," Rose answered, glaring at him. "It's not like I can't get more tomorrow."

He sighed before narrowing in on Sabrina. "Fine, you're here to give us a lift and eat our biscuits but how did you get in? I have security measures in place."

The little girl giggled before shoving more biscuits in her mouth. "Yeah you sure do," she said around her meal. "I like your friend. She's very sweet. I asked her nicely and promised I wouldn't bother you until morning. Sorry about that by the way. I can wait down here while you continue mating if you like," she answered innocently sitting on the counter swinging her legs munching handfuls of biscuits.

The Doctor turned to Rose hopefully.

"Not a chance," she told him, shaking her head. She looked at the little girl, "So, Sabrina, you're here to take us to Cleone right? But we can't go until we take care of some things here. Do you mind waiting a bit?"

"Sure, no problem. Don't suppose you have any pears or prunes, they're such delicacies."

The Doctor's mouth opened and closed before his face scrunched up and he started sticking his tongue out and shuddering. Rose mused it looked like the void had opened up and deposited a horde of Daleks on his doorstep. 

"No!" he gasped out. "I mean that's it. This is where I draw the line." He stood tall staring down at Sabrina with the oncoming storm look. "This is my house and I will absolutely not allow a pear to cross its threshold," the Doctor stated adamantly and practically stamped his foot.

Rose turned to him. "Doctor, she's gonna help us get to Cleone and agreed to wait so we can get things settled with Perry and go to Tony's party. I think you can compromise a little."

The Doctor turned to her with a huge pout, "But Rooooose, pears, they're disgusting and revolting and oh I can't even think about them being here." He shuddered again for emphasis.

"Quit being a drama queen! You'll live, I promise you." Rose turned to Sabrina. "Yeah, Sabrina, we'll get you whatever you like. We really appreciate this. So you gonna tell us who owes us this favor and how you know this person?" Rose asked curiously.

"Oh she said to tell to you Abbie the estate agent and you would know what that means. She heard from one of the inmates you were on some sort of quest. We sort of broke out of prison a while ago and she distracted the guards to help me."

"Oh you are kidding me!" the Doctor exclaimed rolling his eyes while Rose grinned broadly.

"Well Doctor I guess being nice did pay off, didn't it? Even if she nicked my car," Rose said and nudged his shoulder.

"Yeah right, paid off. We're getting a lift from one criminal cause we helped another escape," the Doctor responded a bit sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm no criminal! I was wrongly accused of stealing a crate of spolt figs. I bought those figs. The vendor was a crook, took my funds and accused me of theft," Sabrina answered bouncing off the counter her forehead scrunched up and her bottom lip jutted out in anger.

"It's all right Sabrina, the Doctor's just had some bad experiences is all," Rose answered patting her on the shoulder.

"Rose, it's getting late. What do you want to do with our little alien felon?" he asked enunciating _felon._

"Watch it Time Twit!" Sabrina shouted, glaring at him.

"Enough!" Rose stood in between the two of them. "Right Sabrina, you can use the guest bedroom on the third floor, second door on the left. We'll talk about this in the morning over breakfast," Rose turned and left them in the Kitchen.

"Fine, you can stay. Just know this, if I find that you're lying, that you came here intending to harm Rose or any of her family, I will hunt you down. Are we clear on this?" the Doctor warned in a growling tone.

"I told you, I'm just here take you there and back. I want my debt to Abby paid. I could care a less about you two. Course, that doesn't mean that you can't extend some hospitality to me," she answered, tapping her trainer clad foot.

The Doctor groaned looking up a the ceiling. "I'm sure that Rose will see to you. I'll see you in the morning. Stay out of trouble." The Doctor left her in the kitchen with a mischievous grin on her face, munching away on his favorite biscuits.

The next morning, Rose and the Doctor found Sabrina in the garden with Perry. She was handing him flowers that he was carefully potting in some planters.

"Good Morning, Perry!" the Doctor greeted

"Good day to you, Doctor, Rose."

"Hey Sabrina, you doing all right today? Did you sleep okay?" Rose asked.

"Oh I don't need much sleep, but thank you for your kindness. The Time Lord could certainly learn a thing or to from you."

Perry looked up at them trying to hide his smile. "Sabrina mentioned that you would be leaving on a journey. Are there any instructions during your absence?" Perry asked.

"Actually Perry, I would like to have a word with you. Could you join me in the study?" the Doctor asked.

"Come on Sabrina, why don't you and I get some breakfast while the Doctor and Perry have a chat," Rose told Sabrina, holding out her hand.

While Sabrina and Rose were in the kitchen. The Doctor explained to Perry about the twelve tasks the he and Rose must complete. 

"Perry, Rose and I consider you more than just a gardener or a friend, you're family now. I know we've talked about the TCB a little already. But I think it's time you met the old girl. What do you say?"

"I am honored to be a part of your house Doctor. You and Rose have extended such kindness and generosity to me. The lovely TCB is evident in all things in the house and the garden. I must confess I am most pleased to reside in the realm of such a benevolent and auspicious creature."

"Well then, take my hand and we'll pop down and introduce you," the Doctor said extending his hand to Perry.

Using the trusty MST, the Doctor transported them down beneath the house to the cavern where the TCB was happily humming them welcome.

"Perry, all of this is our lovely lady." the Doctor explained, his arms spread wide as he pointed out the coral pillar and tendrils. "She is quite pleased to meet you in person. Actually, she was quite pleased the day you entered the house. You must explain that to me one day."

Perry stood in the cavern and closed his eyes. His entire composure relaxed and he seemed at peace and at ease more than the Doctor had ever seen him. Eventually, he opened his eyes which were filled with unshed tears and walked up and laid his hand on the coral pillar.

"Thank you, Doctor. I cannot express what this means to me. To be in the presence of such a noble creature is beyond an honor. I am truly blessed. But I must ask you Doctor, why have you extended this privilege now?"

"Rose and I will be leaving the planet soon on the Eternal's first task. We can't leave until we know the old girl here is safe and someone will be here for her, to protect her. You once vowed to me that you would protect all I hold dear. I am entrusting you with this sacred duty, Perry. Rose and I can't leave until we're sure that she is safe. The continued well being of the TCB here is our priority. Do you understand?"

"I swear to you Doctor, I will keep the beautiful lady safe," Perry assured with a hand over his heart.

"Good. Thank you Perry." The Doctor turned and caressed the coral. "She feels pleased and happy with you. There is one more thing I want to talk to you about."

The Doctor turned toward Perry putting his hands in his pockets and began pacing and working himself into lecture mode.

"When you first arrived, I explained how the TCB was part of the house and grounds and watches over all of us and that she is a sentient organic creature. There once were many creatures similar to her but now, she and only one other remain. Her species is not normally as she is here. They were creatures who propagated themselves not unlike the plants you lovingly tend in the garden. They are creatures of time and necessary to the well being of time and the multiverse. Rose and I have been preparing to help her produce offspring. You see, that is our special project in the greenhouse. Soon we will be ready to begin fostering the young coral. When it's time, Rose and I would like you to work with us. How would you feel about expanding your cultivation skills to a new kind of garden?"

At first, Perry was speechless. "Doctor, I never dreamt that I would be blessed with such a privilege. Amongst my people, there could be no greater calling than to foster new life into existence. You have entrusted me with such an esteemed task. The universe is indeed a magnificent place filled with a variety of wondrous things. I accept the honor you have bestowed upon me. I shall spend the rest of my days with you and Rose protecting the lovely TCB and her offspring. Together we shall see this dream realized." His voice shook slightly with the sincerity of his emotion.

The Doctor smiled broadly. "Molto Bene! Now then, let's get up stairs before Rose and Sabrina get into any trouble."

The Doctor and Perry transported upstairs and found Rose and Sabrina in the kitchen with a full fry-up waiting for them.

The Doctor was stunned. He loved his Rose, but she was not much of a cook. "Rose, did you cook this?"

"Yup, Sabrina helped me. Isn't she amazing! I never thought I could do this but she just made it so easy. She's a brilliant teacher!"

The Doctor looked at Sabrina who was smiling innocently as she nibbled on a sausage. He just knew she was going to be trouble.


	10. Pirate Parties and The Fuschia Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be fluffiness with a touch of traveling the universe.

"No,! Absolutely not. This will never work!"

"But Doctor, I already told her she could come with us," Rose pleaded

"Rose, have you gone mad? Can you imagine the things she'd do or say not to mention she'll eat everything. I mean have you seen our cupboards lately? The little nuisance inhales everything! Why just the other morning I reached for the cereal, you know the one with the banana chips in it and what do I find? Go on guess?"

"Um a box of cereal?" Rose said tentatively while playing with a bit of her hair.

"No, an empty box of cereal!" the Doctor growled with hands shoved in his pockets. "The irksome little thing left the empty box in the cupboard!"

Face flushed and scowling, the Doctor paced back and forth in his new dark brown with royal blue pinstriped suit gesturing about all the things that Sabrina had done since her arrival.

"Doctor, it was only for a few days and feeding her was the least we could do. She is taking us to Cleone and if she comes with us to Tony's party, we can leave right afterward," Rose said. running a brush through her hair as she dressed for the party. She looked at herself in the mirror making sure the dark blue skinny jeans and violet blouse with her blue leather jacket looked presentable. She sat down to put on her black ankle boots and then looked up at the Doctor.

"I promise, it will be all right. There will be tons of kids there, she'll blend in."

"And what exactly are we suppose to tell Jackie? Didn't Jackie say something about no alien stuff?" he reminded her with a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"Well yeah, but your alien and you’re welcome. Besides, we'll just tell her we're escorting her back to her family. It won't be too far from the truth. I mean really once she takes us there and back, she will be going back to her family."

"But Rooooose, I don't want to," the Doctor moaned and plopped down next to Rose pouting. "It'll mean I'll have to watch her the whole time and won't have any fun."

"Fun, what you planning on joining the kids in the bouncy castle?" Rose asked, laughing at his adorable pout.

"Bouncy castle? There's going to be a bouncy castle and you didn't tell me!" the Doctor bounded up and looked at Rose with even more of pout if that was possible.

"Yep and there'll be cake too. But only if you're good and we bring Sabrina. Oh, and you need to be nice to her," Rose told him as she got up and went to grab her backpack off the floor. "You bringing anything else?" she asked him her eyebrows raised.

The Doctor sniffed put on his brown coat and patted his pockets, "Got everything I need right here."

"What about the parchment, we need that?"

The Doctor sighed and walked over and pulled it off the wall and stuffed it in his pocket muttering under his breath about annoying aliens and worrisome blondes.

"All right, if you're ready, let's get Sabrina and get going. I have Tony's gift downstairs.

"There's gifts too?" he asked a bit excited.

"For the birthday boy, yeah. For you, there's cake and nibbles," Rose told him s grabbing his hand.

As they headed downstairs, Rose could only think about how difficult the last few days had been. Sabrina did admittedly have a voracious appetite and particularly for any food the Doctor was fond of. It was practically war when the Doctor discovered that Sabrina had not only found his secret banana cupboard but had eaten all of them. Rose had never heard the Doctor make that kind of noise before. Afterward, Rose Found Sabrina locked in a coat closet. The Doctor of course said she must have been snooping and a breeze blew the door shut on her. 

The last straw for Rose was the food fight. By the time she reached the kitchen, it was covered in broken jam jars with jam sliding down the walls, cereal, crisps and the remains of a carton of eggs splattered everywhere. Needless to say, both Sabrina and the Doctor were forced to work together to clean up the mess while Rose sat drinking her tea reading magazines and glaring at them so they didn't destroy the kitchen any further in their apparent feud.

Other than the Sabrina issue, the Doctor spent time studying the parchment scrolls and asking Perry about anything he knew about Cleone and its myths and legends. He and Perry had also spent time in the garden and greenhouse talking about the TCB. Perry had made great progress in learning to communicate with the TCB and understanding the Doctors intricate security system. When the time came to leave, Rose and the Doctor both hugged Perry and promised to see him soon.

"Do not trouble yourselves. I assure you that I shall protect our beloved lady below. Doctor, Rose, may the great universal bio-energy guide your journey and assure your success and safe return," Perry said as they packed the car and left for Jackie and Pete's home.

At the party, Jackie rushed over to hug Rose. "So who do we have here?" Jackie asked with curiosity.

"Oh this is Sabrina, we're looking out for her until we can get her back to her family. I didn't think you'd mind if we brought her along. We'll be taking her home after the party," Rose explained.

"Well Rose, why didn't you tell me? You could have had her family meet here. You know we have plenty of food and I could always use another set of parents to help chaperone," Jackie said smiling at Sabrina.

"Sabrina sweetheart, don't be shy. Why don't you go introduce yourself to the other kids over there," Jackie said, gesturing to the backyard filled with the largest bouncy castle Rose had ever seen, children and assorted games.

"Rose, is it all right?" Sabrina sweetly asked Rose.

Rose knelt down in front of her as if to hug her and whispered into her ear, "Just don't forget what we talked about. No alien stuff; no scaring any kids or being rude. Got it?"

Sabrina pulled away from Rose and gave her the sweetest smile, "Yes Rose, I'll be good." Sabrina then left Rose and Jackie skipping into the backyard.

"Rose, she's just adorable and you're so good with her. You know it wouldn't hurt you to start thinking about that for yourself. You're not getting any younger. Besides, you've got plenty of room in that big old manor. It would do it some good to fill it with the sounds of children. It's not like you don't already have practice with himself. Speaking of which where is he?" Jackie asked peering around.

Sighing, Rose guided her toward the back yard where they found the Doctor engrossed in a scavenger hunt. Of course, this was no simple scavenger hunt for this was a pirate themed party. Rose nearly collapsed with laughter when she saw the Doctor with a patch over his eye and a pirate hat on his head running around looking behind bushes for pirate booty. Rose and Jackie walked over to the refreshment table for a cup of punch while they watched the children, well the children and the Doctor and Sabrina run around the grounds.

It was only a matter of time before the Doctor/Sabrina feud reared its ugly head. Both of them eyeed each other as the gathered prizes in their pirate sacks. Sabrina in her pirate hat with a pink feather in it and the Doctor in his with silver trim, made sure they passed each other exhibiting the heaviness of their sacks to show off their success. Rose rolled her eyes at this but was sure to keep a close watch over the two of them. After a while Tony shrieked in joy when he found the grand prize, a treasure chest filled with assorted goodies. The Doctor walked over to Rose a bit deflated that he hadn't found it.

Jackie couldn't help but comment, "Oi look at you, the great Time Lord bested by my Tony. Think maybe your age is catching up with you." She patted him on the shoulder and went over to talk to the photographer about pictures.

Rose put her arm through his, "It's all right Doctor, I'm sure you would've let Tony find it anyway since it's his birthday. Besides, you had fun looking for stuff didn't ya? So what's in the sack?"

"Oh you know, the normal historically inaccurate pirate rubbish," the Doctor said as he started unloading his sack. First, he pulled out an eye patch. Then, gold foiled chocolate coins, a head scarf, a plastic dagger, some skull and crossbones bouncy balls, seashell shaped candy, a pirate banner, fake pirate tattoos and a pirate rubber ducky which brought a huge grin to the Doctor's face. All of his pirate "booty" went into his massive pockets. After consoling the Doctor and oooing and ahhing over his prizes, Rose scanned the crowd for Sabrina. The Doctor smirked and muttered _told you so_ when he saw Rose peering around trying to find their little alien annoyance. But then he saw the nibbles table and was off.

Rose found Sabrina surrounded by children listening raptly as she told a story. Rose swore softly and went over to try and stop an impending catastrophe.

"….and then the massive black hole expanded and engulfed the planets in the star system destroying everyone except a few small ships able to escape such a grim death. They wandered about the universe stopping periodically to loot and pillage until they…"

"Sabrina!" Rose spoke loudly interrupting what she was sure would be a ghastly tale. "Could I have a word with you over here for a moment?"

Sabrina turned to Rose and smiled, "Of course." She turned back to her audience, "Sorry, maybe we can finish this later?"

As she walked over to Rose, one of the children asked "what is pillaging anyway?" Rose covered her eyes with one of her hands and hoped none of this leaked back to Jackie.

Once they were away from the children, Rose directed a pointed look at her soon to be pilot. "Remember our talk?"

"Of course, I didn't do anything wrong. I just told them a story," Sabrina said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Yes but these are human kids who don't know bout that stuff. They're too young to understand. Please Sabrina, we just have to stay a bit longer and then we can go. I promise. Why don't you get something to eat? Mum will cut the cake in a bit and then we'll go. Okay?"

Sabrina sighed. "Fine. Earth children are certainly coddled aren't they? I can't imagine how your species survives if you don't prepare your offspring during their youth." She then turned and ran over to the nibbles table where she saw the Doctor. An evil smirk lit her face and Rose winced at the battle that was sure to come. 

After spending time refereeing the Doctor and Sabrina while they ate; giggling over the Doctor playing with the kids in the bouncy castle; and avoiding Jackie's questions about Sabrina, it was time to cut the cake, much to Rose's relief. Rose helped Jackie cut and serve the cake making sure the Doctor was given a large piece with a candy chest on it. Sabrina's cake was smothered in pistachio ice cream which she appeared to be enjoying based on the ecstatic expression on her face. Tony had quickly inhaled his cake and was now ripping into gifts. Once he finished and was buried in tattered paper and toys, Rose turned to retrieve the Doctor and Sabrina only to find them in some sort of sugar induced euphoria, giggling and sitting amongst the flowers. She sighed and went about the task of trying to get them to focus so they could quietly exit while Jackie was busy with the Tony.

"Come on we need to leave now!" Rose told Sabrina and the Doctor who were laughing hysterically over some kids song. Rose closed her eyes and counted to three. "All right, what's so funny?"

"It's, it's…" the Doctor started before breaking out in even more laughter.

"That song is a Pafonian death march on the planet Pafo," Sabrina giggled.

"Pop goes the Weazel?" Rose watched as they burst out laughing again.

"Well I spose I prefer this to the fighting, but we really should be going don't you think?" Rose asked with a hopeful gaze.

"Ahem, yes your right, of course. Let's just be off before they play I don't know the Griknok Howling Lament," the Doctor said, bursting with laughter once more. This made Sabrina giggle harder.

"Enough." Rose rolled her eyes. "We're leaving now so shift, both of you." She turned leaving the giggling alien nutters behind to find her Mum.

"Mum, I'm sorry but we have to be heading out. Thanks for inviting us. We had a real nice time and I really appreciate you letting Sabrina stay." Rose told Jackie.

"Oh sweetheart, can't you stay a bit longer. Seems like Tony never gets to spend time with you since you moved to that Manor," Jackie said with a touch of bitterness. "Really Rose, can't you stop by more often? It's nice having us all together as a family."

"Mum, we have to get Sabrina home and honestly, I haven't even seen Pete all day. Wouldn't' it be better if we could all be together at the same time?" Rose countered the lecture she knew she was about to be subjected to.

"Well maybe if you had spent more time with everyone rather than following the Doctor and Sabrina around watching there every move, you would've seen Pete helping out with the bouncy castle. Honestly Rose what's up with the Doctor and Sabrina? And don't you dare tell me nothing. Anyone can tell those two seem to be competing over you. Now, are you gonna tell me?" Jackie asked hands on hips, staring at Rose in that "you will tell me" way that only Jackie could.

"Well they don't exactly get along," Rose said, cocking her head to one side and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Sabrina's real smart and likes to wind up the Doctor so I have to sort of referee between them. That's all." Rose answered her Mum worried that Jackie would ask more questions.

Jackie sighed and shook her head, "Fine. You tell himself he owes me for being a jealous git to that little girl. Honestly, for someone who claims to be nine hundred years old, he's no better than a four year old sometimes."

Rose hugged Jackie and thanked her and then went over to Tony who was immersed in one of his new toys and told him goodbye. Tony's head popped up when he realized his sister was leaving and ran over and threw his arms around her.

"Thank you, Rosie!" You and the Doctor and Sabrina can come back soon and play with me," he said with a hopeful expression before he dashed back to his toys. Rose smiled watching her little brother play. He may live a privileged life, but Jackie made sure he was grateful for all he had.

Finally, the Doctor, Rose and Sabrina were heading out toward Sabrina's transport which was hidden in a forest near the Manor. They parked the Doctor's car part way in the forest and the Doctor hit a setting on his sonic which activated a perception filter so no one would see his beloved sports car. They walked for about twenty minutes when Sabrina stopped them. She whistled an ear piercing sound and Rose saw something shimmer in front of them. She couldn't tell what shape it was or how big it was. It just looked like a shimmering blob to her.

"Why that's gorgeous!" The Doctor exclaimed, walking up to the shimmering object.

Sabrina pressed her index finger against the shimmering object and suddenly there was a small opening which she walked through and which Rose and the Doctor crawled through into the ship. The interior was quite small and narrow. If it was a difficult squeeze for Rose, it was definitely cramped for the Doctor. Sabrina made her way to a space on the floor where she sat and began to touch lights that appeared around her. She turned to the Doctor and Rose.

"Better get yourselves settled, it may be a bit bumpy at first."

"Settled, I can barely find a spot where something's not gouging into my side," the Doctor complained crammed in the small craft in a hunched position and wincing periodically. Rose tried to adjust herself to give the Doctor more room. The ride was indeed a bit bumpy but then smoothed out.

"Sabrina, about how long till we get there?" Rose asked.

"Not long, this ship is designed for trans galactic travel so we should be there in about two hours Earth standard time.”

"Two Hours," the Doctor whined. "Oh Rose, I promise you I will do everything in my power to see that we have a TARDIS grown and ready to travel as quickly as possible when we return to Earth. This was definitely not what I had in mind about seeing this universe" he said, wincing periodically.

Rose tried to lean over and rub a particularly sore spot on the Doctor and whispered she was sorry and promised him a long hot bath and massage after this was over. Sabrina quietly giggled over his discomfort.

Two Hours later…

Sabrina landed them on the planet Cleone near the Fuchsia Forest in a clearing on purple lake. Rose crawled out of the ship and arched her back, stretching with her eyes closed enjoying being free of the confined space. When she opened her eyes she gasped, "It's beautiful!"

Tall trees with leaves of various shades from lavender to deep aubergine with trunks colored a deep eggplant stretched up into the amber sky. The grass around them was course and a deep green tinged in purple. The lake seemed to stretch on forever and was a bright violet color and was gently lapping against the shore. A cool breeze carried the scent of citrus, like fresh lemons and oranges in the air. It was cool but not cold, more like a brisk autumn day.

The Doctor took a moment to unbend himself and stand up next to her. He stretched from his neck to his arms and legs listening to his joints crack and groan. He looked at Rose and smiled. He loved the look of wonder in her eyes. It had been so long since he'd seen this. It brought back so many fond memories of seeing her step out of the TARDIS, eyes filled with awe and wonder. He just couldn't help himself, he walked over to her and properly snogged her senseless. When he finally pulled away to take a breath, she just looked up at him and smiled.

"What was that for?" she asked happy and grinning.

"Every time we stepped out of the TARDIS on a new planet and you had that look on your face, I just wanted to snog you silly. Nothing stopping me now so I did," he replied, grinning at her.

Sabrina interrupted them clearing her throat loudly. "Excuse me but if you two are done with this bizarre mating ritual you seem to enjoy, times wasting. If you're not back here in Forty solar cycles, I'm leaving without you." She turned and went back into her ship shutting the opening.

"Well guess that's that, better get moving," the Doctor said, grabbing Rose's hand and heading into the forest.

"Doctor, you know where we're headed," Rose asked curious but happy.

"Of course. According to Perry, the legend works like the old Earth legend about trolls or ogres. You know caves and bridges and such. Basically, it hides in a dark and mysterious location and jumps out and eats unsuspecting travelers," the Doctor explained with enthusiastic glee.

"So we're heading to the dark and mysterious spot where people are getting eaten?" Rose asked, bouncing a bit next to him and experience that heart pounding excitement at the thought of adventure on a strange planet.

"Yep!" The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned the woods ahead of them and adjusted the direction in which they were traveling. After a few hours, Rose's enthusiasm diminished a and she slowed down. The Doctor turned to her.

"Let's take a break shall we," he said, stopping by some boulders. Rose collapsed onto the boulders and reached into her backpack for some water. The Doctor pulled some protein bars from his pocket and handed one to her and she passed him some water. While the were sitting there, an orange and black iguana-like creature ran by them. It was the first wildlife other than birds they had seen while traveling through the woods.

"Well look at that! I haven't seen one of those in centuries and never would have expected to see it here. In our universe it's not indigenous to this world. Huh." the Doctor mentioned to Rose while munching on a protein bar.

Rose heard break branches and the thud of something running through the woods heading in their direction. "Doctor, something's coming," she whispered, moving a little closer to the edge of the rock in case they needed to run.

Suddenly, a thin boy about ten years of age with dirt and grime covering his golden skin and no shoes burst through the foliage. He stopped and stared at them cocking his head to one side as if he was trying to figure out if they were a threat.

"Well hello there!" exclaimed the Doctor, smiling at the boy. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. Do you need some help? You missing something by chance?"

The boy turned to the Doctor and began speaking in a language Rose couldn't understand but the Doctor seemed to and was responding to him. Rose definitely was missing the TARDIS' ability to translate languages for her.

The Doctor offered the boy a protein bar which he took and devoured. It was obvious he hadn't eaten in some time.

"Doctor, what's going on? What happened to him?" Rose asked.

"Oh sorry, forgot about the translation. Here, put this on," the Doctor told Rose as he pulled out a simple matte silver bracelet with a design on it which looked like the Doctor's Gallifreyan writing. He slipped it over her wrist and it adjusted automatically to her wrist size so it was snug against her skin. "It's psychically connected through me so you should be able to communicate in any language I can which is, well, pretty much everything," he told her smugly.

Rose smiled and thanked the Doctor. She looked at the boy and handed him a water bottle which he greedily gulped down.

"So what's your name?" Rose asked gently.

"Mirin" the boy answered, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his loose fitting linen shirt.

"Where's your family? Do you need help?" Rose asked concerned at Mirin's condition but not knowing if it was normal for his species. He was exceedingly thin and his freckled faced looked a bit gaunt. His eyes were a deep purple color with flecks of green and looked so sad and scared it broke her heart.

"They were taken by the monster in the woods and there are slavers so I've been hiding with my friend Kiak."

"That's awful! Where's your friend now?" Rose asked, knowing she would not be leaving this planet without helping this boy.

"He ran this way a few minutes ago. Maybe you say him, he's black and orange?"

"Oh yes! See Rose, told you it wasn't indigenous to this planet." the Doctor explained. "Now then, where did you see this monster? Let's deal with that first and then we'll see to the slaver traders."

The boy trembled and pointed the direction he came from. "But you can't go there, it'll eat you. That's what it does. It carries people off to it's cave and then eats them," he said with big eyes and a shaking voice.

"Well how do you know if he eats them?" the Doctor asked in a soft cajoling voice. "I mean if you haven't seen him eat anyone then maybe he doesn't? Maybe they're alive and something else is happening."

The boy fidgeted and frowned.

"Let's find out what's really happening." The Doctor patted his shoulder and stood up before striding confidently in the direction the boy ran from. Rose took the boy's hand.

"It'll be okay. The Doctor and me will keep you safe."

The terrain became rockier as they neared the cave and the Doctor slowed before ducked behind some bushes. Rose and Mirin followed him. They could hear a crunching and scraping noise getting closer to them like something heavy was walking or was being dragged through gravel. Rose, Mirin and the Doctor were as still as the boulders scattered around them and the noise became louder. Even the birds stopped singing. The Doctor peered through the foliage until he saw the source of the noise. He made no sound, just observed until the creature appeared to turn around and go back in the opposite direction and the noise faded into the distance.

The Doctor turned around and looked at Rose and Mirin, "Well I think I found our beast and here's what we're going to do…."


	11. A Beast Named Fred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the planet Cleone, Rose and the Doctor are hot on the trail of the beast with their new friend Mirin. Their task is to obtain the hide of the beast and deliver it as required by the Eternals but they get a little side tracked...

As the Doctor explained his plan to approach the beast, Rose and Mirin sat quietly and listened. When he finished and looked at them expectantly, Rose spoke. "Doctor, this all sounds good but what if this beast attacks first and talks later?"

"Rose, I'm sure of this. I watched it and it was very clear it's sick or injured. I have to try and talk to it first. If the beast is sentient, then we should be able to reason with it."

"And if it's not?" Rose asked him, concerned.

"Well, then I expect my team here to swing into action," the Doctor replied, with a charming smile.

"Doctor, the beast never spoke when it took my parents. It just ran after us and grabbed them and dragged them off screaming," Mirin told them, his eyes wide in fear.

"Mirin, it may have been reacting to your parents fear. If Rose and I had reacted to you by screaming in terror and thrashing about, it would have frightened you, yes?" the Doctor gently asked him.

Mirin thought on this for a while, and then responded. "It would have scared me, but I wouldn't have attacked you. I would have run."

"Yes, that's how you would respond for your species and age. Perhaps for this beast, the natural response for his species is to scoop up the source of the noise. We have to give it a chance and this may be the best way to rescue your parents and keep them from harm.”

"The Doctor's right, Mirin," Rose agreed with more confidence than she felt. "It makes sense and we have to do what we can to get your parents back safe."

"Right then! Let's not waste time and go have ourselves a nice chit chat with this beast fellow. We really must ask him his name. Can't keep calling him beast, that sounds a bit, well, beasty," the Doctor told them, bouncing up.

The Doctor ushered Rose and Mirin through the forest toward the beast's cave. Eventually, the Doctor held up his hand to stop them. He pointed to a bush, where Rose and Mirin knelt down and hid. The Doctor walked forward to stand in the middle of a path, a few meters away from the bush. After a while, Rose heard a crunching noise and peered between the branches of the bush. The beast stood a good four meters tall, and was sort of like a bear but with longer legs. It had two arms that extended from its thick shoulders almost to its feet. 

She couldn't see clearly, but it appeared to have claw-like appendages at the ends of its arms. Its feet were bound in some kind of coarse, cloth-like material. Its head reminded Rose of a minotaur with a snout, two black eyes and two rounded horns protruding from its head. As it walked, it was hunched over and she could see it was covered in thick, coarse black fur. When it ambled into the light, she could see the fur was really a deep purple color, and studded with yellow bumps that looked like they were oozing greenish puss. It definitely was not moving fast, and almost staggered a bit. There was no question in her mind as to why the Doctor thought it was sick, but there also was concern that it was bigger and stronger than the three of them combined. Rose and Mirin waited and watched.

"Well, hello, big fella!" the Doctor chirped in his most cheery Doctory manner. "I'm the Doctor, and what's your name?" 

The beast stopped and stared at him, and tensed.

"The quiet type are you? Well, that's okay. I can talk enough for both of us. Lovely place you have here," the Doctor babbled, looking around. "I hear you have a bit of a problem with people wandering through perhaps annoying you a bit. Well, guess that would include me wouldn't it? Sorry about that! Don't mean to be rude but I am sort of naturally rude. Can't be helped. So I was wondering, you don't look so good for a beast but then I keep wondering about calling you 'beast' as it's not a very inventive name. Surely, you must be called something?" The Doctor stopped, giving the beast a chance to respond. It remained completely silent and just stared at him.

"No, well, I'll just have to give you a name then because I just can't call you beast. I know, how about Fred? I like Fred. What do you think?" the Doctor continued to babble.

Suddenly, the beast howled and shook its head.

"Oh, so ya don't like Fred then. Well, maybe you're not a Fred, uh, sorry, Mabel? Esther? Hildegard? Oh, I know, Alonzo!"

At that point, the beast charged and threw the Doctor over his shoulder, knocking the air out of him and stunning him slightly. The beast then turned and quickly ambled off. The Doctor regained his composure and looked up at the bush Rose and Mirin were hiding behind, and winked at them. 

Hearts pounding Rose and Mirin, cautiously followed the beast until they tracked it to its cave. They found a hiding place behind a rocky outcropping and Rose told Mirin to stay there so she could scout out the area. She climbed around a few bolders, but found no other entrance to the cave. When she got back to Mirin, she started going through her backpack.

"Mirin, there's no other way in. I'm gonna have to go in the front after the Doctor. It's getting late and it's been a long day. We're gonna spend the night here and then I'll head into the cave in the morning." She paused to lay a hand on Mirin's shoulder. "You must be starving. Come on, let's have something to eat and then bed down for the night." She handed Mirin a protein bar and some dried fruit. Mirin looked at the food and then back at her.

"Rose, aren't you worried about the Doctor? What if he's being hurt or eaten?"

Rose smiled and looked at Mirin, scooting close to him. "I believe in the Doctor. He felt that this beast wouldn't really harm him, and I trust him. He wanted time to talk to it, and well, in my experience with the Doctor, he can almost subdue anyone just by talkin’ them into submission," Rose said, raising her eyebrows and rolling her eyes a bit at the "talkin’ them into submission" part.

Mirin nodded his head, and they both silently ate as the light dimmed and the inky black of the forest enveloped them. After their quiet meal, Rose pulled out a blanket from her very dimensionally transcendental backpack, and snuggled down with Mirin. Soon she could see a few stars lighting the sky.

"Mirin, are you from this world?" she asked.

"No, we came here from my home planet of Egnaro as colonists to join a farming commune. My planet is in this star system, but it suffers from a pollution which damages crops," Mirin explained to her.

"Oh, the Doctor and I are from another planet as well. We came here looking for help with a problem. Our planet is far, far away. Not even in this galaxy really."

Mirin stared at her with big eyes. "There are other worlds with people on them in other galaxies?" he asked in amazement.

"Oops," Rose mumbled. "Guess I shouldn't have said that." She squeezed her eyes shut worried she might have crossed a cultural line but then sighed realizing it was too late. "Oh, well, guess I might as well finish telling you, but yeah, there’s lots of places with forests and people and cities, and all sorts of stuff."

"Rose, will you tell me about it?" Mirin quietly asked.

Rose started telling him the fantastic tale of how a shop girl met a magnificent alien traveling in blue box, and how she grew up and learned what it meant to be human from him. When Rose paused and looked down, she saw that Mirin was curled up asleep in her arms. She smiled, tucked the blanket around them both, and followed him to sleep.

The next morning, Rose was getting ready to set out into the cave. She told Mirin he would need to stay hidden here until she returned with the Doctor. Mirin looked at her nervously. "But Rose, it'll catch and eat you." He clung to her arm. "Please don't leave me alone!" he begged.

Rose wrapped her arms around him in a hug, and whispered to him, "It's gonna be all right. The Doctor and me, we've been through much worse than this." She pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. "I need you to stay out here and keep an eye on things.” She handed him an earpiece, hoping his ears where similar to humans. "Put this in your ear, and you and I can talk to each other. So if you get scared, you just talk to me, okay?" she told him, putting a similar earpiece in her ear. She tested it with him and he nodded. She hugged him one more time and quietly crept toward the cave entrance.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwd

Meanwhile, in the back of the cave, after the Doctor had been carried for what felt like hours, the beast unceremoniously dumped him into a deep narrow hole in the cave floor.

"Ouch, that hurt! You know it's quite rude to drag off a friendly traveler who just wants to help you ya know," the Doctor complained to the beast, who he quickly decided to call Fred, whether or not it liked the name.

The beast just stared at him in the hole, grunted and turned away. The Doctor examined the pit and mused that lately he seemed to be spending a lot of time in caves, wells and generally dark, dank places.

"So Fred, do tell me, when did the illness start? You know I'm a Doctor and I do want to help you. Course, I would be pretty appreciative if you could tell me what you did with the nice couple you carted off a few days ago. You know, male and female, yellow skin, dark hair, had a little boy who ran off and was starving when I found him."

Fred stopped and slowly turned around and came back over to the Doctor. "You talk too much," he said in a deep, growling voice, breathing heavily.

"Yes, welllll, everyone has their flaws don't they? So, you gonna let me help you?"

"No one can help me but the Itok. Only they have the cure."

"Really? And they won't give it to you because?" the Doctor asked.

"Payment required. I give them humanoids, they give me medicine."

"They give you medicine but it doesn't cure you." The Doctor's voice deepened as he sensed these Itok were not so benevolent as Fred thought. "Seems like something's wrong. But then, trading innocent people for anything doesn't sit well with me. You do realize what happens to these people you trade off for, don't you?"

Fred looked at him. "Have no choice -- want to live."

"Everyone has a choice!" the Doctor shouted at him. "Look, did it ever occur to you to ask for help instead of carting people off?"

"Stupid, talky human! They run from me! They hate me! They don't help," Fred answered sadly, wincing at some unknown pain.

"I want to help you and I'm not afraid. I have friends who will help you too. Please give me a chance," the Doctor pleaded.

Fred collapsed onto a rock, staring blankly into the darkness of the cave. "Why? Why you help me?"

"Because you're in pain and you need help, and maybe you can help me in return."

Fred turned and looked at him before slumping. "The sickness started many cycles ago. I tried many herbs and forest remedies, but nothing worked. I was sick and dying and the Itok came. They gave me medicine and I start to heal, but they won't give me more unless I give them something."

The Doctor looked at him, then started pacing as much as he could in the small deep hole. "Wait a minute! They just showed up with the right medicine to help you, and you've never seen these blokes before? Sorry, but don't you think it's odd they show up just when you need what they've got?"

Fred straightened, his eyes wide and roared, "They knew! They knew I sick before they arrived! How they know?"

"I think they knew because they made you sick. Think about it," the Doctor reasoned. "Let me help you."

Fred turned to him. "You help me get well; I help you and stop scaring travelers."

Rose had stealthily crept into the cave, arriving at the end of their conversation. She had flattened herself against a wall in the shadows of the cave with a dried out tree branch gripped in her hands, wondering what she should do. She decided to wait and follow the Doctor's lead.

"Sounds like a deal Fred. Now, how about a lift up?" The Doctor asked.

Fred reached down one of his massive arms and helped lift the doctor from the hole. The Doctor brushed himself off and smiled at Fred. "Now then, we can talk properly instead of shouting to one another." The Doctor then turned to Rose hiding in the shadows. "Oh, Rose, do come out and meet our new friend, Fred."

Rose came out of the shadows, the branch now dragging on the ground and held limply in her hand. "Hi, Fred, I'm Rose. Sorry about the stick," she said, nodding down at her hand. "Can I lay it over there next to the wall?" She motioned to a wall near the hole.

Fred blinked at her. "You came in cave alone? You not afraid?"

Rose laid the stick down and walked up to the Doctor and took his hand in hers. "Yeah, a bit. But the Doctor thinks your okay and besides, you do look a bit ill. I know when I'm feeling ill, I'm a right cow to deal with."

The Doctor nodded a bit too enthusiastically, and Rose pinched him. "Oww, not so hard! I swear you and your mum must have some gene for abusing poor unsuspecting Time Lords," the Doctor whined.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

Fred looked at the two of them. "You mates. Ahhhh, my mate the same. Miss her I do." Fred looked over to a corner of the cave, where there were some crates covered in layers of fabric.

Rose's heart went out to him, and she gently asked, "What happened to her?"

"She go out to gather roots and herbs. She never return. I look everywhere for her for many cycles. I do not find or know where she is."

"Doctor." Rose drew out his name. "Can we help him?"

"Of course we'll help him!" the Doctor responded exuberantly. "First things first, we have to find these Itok, and find Mirin's parents and the antidote to whatever they've done to Fred. Once we have Fred healthy, we'll see to his mate. So Fred, when are you due to meet the Itok next?"

"I meet them today by ancient tree."

"Well then let's head over to the ancient tree so you can deliver them a couple of healthy specimens."

"Doctor, we handing ourselves over to them?"

"Yup, except this time they're not getting helpless terrified people. They're getting us. I'm betting they have a ship in orbit and once we're up there, we'll stir up a little trouble," the Doctor told her, grinning at the thought of inciting mayhem while taking down evil slave traders.

"What about Mirin?" Rose worried.

"Oh, he can stay with Fred. Right, Fred?"

"Boy is scared. Boy will not stay with me."

"Oh course he will!" the Doctor insisted. "Rose and I will have a chat with him and explain everything. Come on Freddie my boy, you're not afraid of a little ten year old boy are you?" The Doctor cajoled.

"Doctor, Fred may have a point. Mirin was pretty worried when I left to come in here. Maybe I should head back now and talk to him, before he meets Fred."

The Doctor nodded his head and turned to Fred. "Fred, while Rose is talking to Mirin, may I have a look at those wounds?" Fred nodded his head and the Doctor pulled out his sonic and began scanning him. After Rose left and while he was scanning Fred, he decided to mention the first task of the Eternals.

"Ya know Fred, Rose and I came here because like you, someone promised to fix a problem of ours if we did something for them in return. This something involves you."

Fred sighed. "What you need from me?"

"Pardon me for saying Fred, but your species is not normally quite this hairy."

Fred snorted. "What you mean, hairy!" he bellowed.

"Well, normally a Yalk sort of molts. I'm guessing that since you became ill, you have been unable to molt your outer layer. Once we have inoculated you, you should be able to molt that outer layer and be a bit less hairy and pussy, uh, you know what I mean?"

Fred stared at the Doctor for a long time. "Itches, hurts would like to be well again," he said simply. "What this got to do with you?"

"To be blunt and honest, when you shed this outer layer, Rose and I sort of need it."

"You very strange animals. You cure, help find mate. You can have."

"Fair enough," the Doctor agreed, and continued scanning him.

Meanwhile, Rose exited the cave and Mirin threw his arms around her. Before she could say anything, an orange and black lizard crawled up Mirin's back and peered over his shoulder at her. Rose jumped back causing Mirin to laugh.

"This is Kiak, Rose. He found me this morning after you went into the cave. He won't harm you. He's my friend," Mirin said, petting the lizard that now draped itself across his shoulder looking at her with a cocked head.

"Okay, pet lizard, right." Rose walked over and petted the lizard, which made a weird buzzing noise, almost as if it was purring.

"Rose, he likes you!" Mirin told her, excited. "What happened, Rose? Where's the Doctor?" he asked, peering around her toward the cave.

Rose smiled while petting little Kiak, and looked at Mirin. "The Doctor's fine. He and Fred had a bit of chat and worked everything out. You see Mirin, Fred's just misunderstood is all. He's feeling ill and a little lonely, and some bad people have been taking advantage of him," Rose explained.

Mirin stared at her for a long time. "What about my parents?" He asked, with a hitch in his voice.

Rose bent knelt down until she was eye level with Mirin. "Your parents are okay. These people that've been taking advantage of Fred, they took them. You see, they made Fred sick so he would do what they wanted. They're bad people, Mirin. The Doctor and I have to go find them, and stop them from hurting anyone else. When we do that, we'll bring back your parents, okay?"

"Okay, can Kiak come with us to rescue my parents?"

Rose's face softened and she ran her hand down the side of Mirin's face, gently caressing him in a motherly fashion. "I'm sorry Mirin, but you can't come with us. It's too dangerous. I need you to stay here with Fred." Rose could see that Mirin didn't like the thought of being left behind, and she had a thought. "You see, the Doctor and I need you to help take care of Fred. He's quite ill and we need both of you to be as fit as possible. We may need your help once we get to where your parents are. Can you do that for us?"

Mirin looked up at Rose and nodded his head, but looked nervously at the cave. Rose took Mirin's hand. "Come on, I'll introduce you and Kiak to Fred. You'll see he's actually pretty nice."

Rose led Mirin with Kiak on his shoulders into the cave. As they walked through the dark cave, Rose told Mirin about how Fred had lost his mate and then become ill and how the slave traders came. Mirin seemed to take it all in and understand what was happening. When they reached the cavern where Fred and the Doctor were, they could hear the Doctor before they entered, babbling on about bananas and coconuts.

"Doctor, is everything all right?" Rose asked, as she and Mirin entered the cavern.

"Oh there you are! I was just explaining to Fred here about the wonderful curative powers of bananas!"

"Why am I not surprised," Rose muttered with sarcasm.

Fred was sitting on some boulders, looking dazed at the Doctor’s dissertation on the merits of bananas. He stood up when Rose entered with Mirin. Mirin stepped back behind Rose, but peered around her.

"Fred, I'd like you to meet Mirin, and his little friend Kiak. Mirin, this is Fred." Mirin stepped beside Rose as Fred walked up to them.

"I not hurt you, Mirin. You welcome in my home."

Mirin was a little timid but eventually walked up to Fred. "Hi, Fred, can Kiak stay too?"

Kiak perked up and looked at Fred with interest, and started to purr. Mirin smiled at this. Fred grunted and let Kiak run up his arm. The Doctor bounded up to the two and patted Mirin on the head.

"Right then, let's get Mirin settled and head out to meet the nasty slave traders shall we?" 

After they had Mirin settled, they worked out that they would need to be bound up and dragged up to the tree in order to fool the slave traders. Rose left her backpack and the Doctor’s long coat with Fred and she and the Doctor stuffed their pockets with anything they might need and hid them well in case they were searched. They said goodbye to Mirin and headed out on foot. Halfway to the tree, Fred bound them and they rubbed dirt onto themselves to look like they had been dragged about. Fred dragged them as gently as possible to the tree where they waited quietly in case they were being observed. They had been there about an hour when the slave traders showed up.

It was a group of five humanoids who appeared to be the same species as Mirin, dressed in brown and orange clothing, with boots, leather vests and belts looped around their bodies. They appeared to have knives and weapons attached to their belts. The tallest of them walked over and grabbed Rose by the hair and lifted her head up and scrutinized her and then nudged the Doctor over. He nodded his head and two of the others grabbed them by their bonds and dragged them over to a large metal disk, where they were transmatted up to a ship, just as the Doctor predicted.

Rose's head pounded and her stomach rolled from the transmat. She was in no shape to resist when they dragged her away from the Doctor. The Doctor yelled her name and when she looked back she could see them kicking him. She tried to move to help him but was yanked back down. Eventually, she was thrown in a cell with several other women. One knelt by her and put a damp cloth on her head.

"Thanks," Rose said, sitting up and looking around. There were at least a dozen other women in the room. Most were cowering in a corner. A few came up to her.

"My name's Rose," she told them.

"My name's Nial, were you captured on the planet Cleone?"

"Yeah, me an’ my friend were. Do you know where they keep the men?"

"No, they separated me from my husband."

Rose turned to the women. "Are any of you the mother of a little boy named Mirin?"

One of the women near here ran over to her. "I am! My name is Rehto. Mirin is my son. Did they capture him with you? Did the monster take him?" she asked, in a trembling voice with tears in her eyes.

Rose grasped her hands. "No, Mirin's fine. My friend, the Doctor, and I took care of him. The monster is really not what you think. His name's Fred and these slavers, they poisoned him and forced him to capture people. Mirin's safe, I promise."

Rehtom hugged her and thanked her. Rose looked at the women and asked them to gather around.

"Listen, the Doctor and I came here to stop these slave traders and get you back to Cleone. We're gonna need your help. I may have a way out of here, but we all have to work together and we have to find the men."

"But how are you going to do that? You're locked in here with us. We don't have any weapons."

Rose smiled at her. "Oh, but we have the best weapons in the universe." She tapped her head. "We're a lot more clever than they think we are, and if we work together, we can out-think and over power them. Men like this never give women credit." Rose smiled at them.

Rehtom and Nial both stepped forward next to Rose. "I'm not ready to just cower and give in to these mercenaries," Nial told her.

"I want to see my husband and son again," Rehtom stated with courage.

Eventually, the majority of the other women also stepped forward and agreed to help Rose. Rose went around the room examining the walls of the cell which appeared to be a made of some kind of smooth metal. She worked her way across the walls running her hands along them looking for seams until she was at the location where she knew the entrance was but couldn't find it. She knelt down to the floor and found a ridge so she was sure she found the location of the exit.

She smiled and turned back to the women. "Okay, I know where the exit is. What do we have in here to work with?"

The women all began pulling things together out of their pockets and off their clothing. Rose pulled what she thought would be useful which consisted of sashes, belts, hairpins, knitting needles, make up powders and, oddly enough, someone had a knife strapped beneath their clothes. Along with a few items Rose had, it was enough to help them get past the guards and find the Doctor. As Rose looked at the items and the brave women, she only hoped the Doctor had not been too injured and was able to pull the men together.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Meanwhile, the Doctor was dragged and thrown into a cell with the male slaves. He laid there for a few minutes to get his bearings. "Blimey, those boots must be filled with lead!" He winced, rubbing his head before he rolled over on his side to look around. "Hello, don't suppose one of you gentlemen is Mirin's father?"


	12. Who Are The Real Monsters?

_Previously_

_“Blimey, those boots must be filled with lead!” He winced and rolled over on his side to look around. “Hello, don’t suppose one of you gentlemen is Mirin‘s father?”_

The Doctor hissed out a breath as he assessed himself whilst lying on the cold stone floor of the cell. He hoped Mirin' s name would trigger a response with one of the men. He wasn't disappointed when one of the men who jumped up from a corner and walked toward him.

“Mirin is my son. How do you know him? Was he taken?” The man's voice trembled. He dropped to his knees beside the Doctor. "Please. He's my son." Tears wet the man's eyes.

“Oh, no, he’s fine," the Doctor quickly responded. "My friend Rose and I ran into him in the forest and he told us all about what happened to you and his mum. I’m here to help.” The Doctor winced and groaned as he tried to sit up to talk to Mirin's father. He knew the beating he’d taken at the hands of the Itok had definitely broken a rib or two.

“Wait, let me help you. My name is Rehtaf. And bless you for helping my son,” the man told the Doctor, as he supported the Doctor assisting him to sit upright.

“Nice to meet you, Rehtaf, I’m the Doctor.” The Doctor took a few careful breaths before continuing. “I was separated from my friend Rose. I take it they like to keep the females and males separated? Not that it's a problem. Rose will be organizing the women for our escape.”

“Escape?" Rehtaf asked.

"You mean you have a way out? But how? You’re locked up here with us,” said another man, who stepped forward.

“And you are?” asked the Doctor.

“Danf. Do you have weapons or the key to this cell? If not, stop raising hopes!” he snarled at the Doctor.

“Hope," the Doctor said and popped his p. "I always have hope. Hope is powerful. A Friend of mine once crossed universes just on hope and her belief in me. Well, hope and a little help from a dimension cannon. The point is we can do this. If we pull together, all of us, we can free ourselves and stop these slave traders permanently.”

“Doctor, do you have a plan?” Rehtaf asked.

“Plan, of course I do!” the Doctor exclaimed, as he rose to his feet still wincing. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic and started scanning the cell. The men in the cell watched him and some followed him as he walked around the cell examining the walls. He stopped and turned to them with a huge grin on his face.

“So, these Itok, slavers, mercenaries or pirates whatever you want to call them think they can terrorize you and lock you in a cell and you’ll do as your told. They don’t think you’ll fight back. This is their weakness.”

“Even if you can get us out, we have no weapons and they do!” one of the men shouted at him.

“What if I had a way to distract or disable them without weapons?” the Doctor asked them. Several of the men began to murmur among themselves. Rehtaf stepped forward toward the Doctor.

“I’m with you, Doctor. I want to see my family again. If we don’t stop them, what’s to become of my son or his sons? What do you need me to do?”

The Doctor walked over to Rehtaf and gave his arm a squeeze and before he could say anything else, several more men stepped forward and agreed they wanted to try.

“Right, let me see if I can get Rose’s attention so we can coordinate our escape,” the Doctor told them.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on Rose. Of course, he worried she might be a tiny bit angry at him for not telling her the silver bracelet he gave her did a bit more than translate. It was more of a psychic adapter which helped him link to Rose’s mind. As he concentrated he began to get a sense of Rose but kept hitting the psychic equivalent of a stone wall covered with thick brambles and miniature pink roses. He followed the wall around until he found, oddly enough, a bell hanging on a pole by the wall so he gave it ring.

Meanwhile, back with the women…

“We need to make a distraction and find out where the men are. The mercenaries won’t be expecting us to escape,” Rose told the women, as she explained to them some basic self defense training.

“Just remember to hit them in the weak spots which are here, here, and here,” Rose said, while pointing to places on her body as examples. “If they have a weapon and they drop it, or you yank it off of them and you don’t know what it is, don’t try and use it. It’ll likely hurt you more than them. It’s best to kick it out of reach, yeah,” Rose said, hoping they were listening. “Oh and one more thing…” Suddenly, Rose clutched her head and gasped.

“Rose, are you all right?” asked Rehtom, gripping Rose's shoulder.

“Yeah, fine. I just got this ringing in my head and… wait, what’s that?” Rose asked, squinting.

Suddenly, Rose heard the Doctor muttering and ringing a bell. She answered him in her mind.

“Doctor, is that you? Are you in my head?” Rose spoke allowed in disbelief.

“Rose! Finally! I’ve been ringing this bloody bell forever! Really Rose, a bell? What’s that about and how did you build this barrier in here? I mean as barriers go it‘s a bit dodgy but still how did you do this?”

“What do you mean a bell? How are you in my head? What are you on about a barrier?” Her voice pitched up and then quieted as she noticed her cell mates watching her.

“Oh, the bracelet I gave you is a bit more than a translator. With your psychic abilities improving, the bracelet amplifies your ability so we can communicate telepathically without sight or touch. Am I clever or what!” the Doctor exclaimed to her in her mind, preening a bit.

“And you couldn’t tell me this because why?” asked Rose, with the psychic equivalent of tapping her foot.

“Well, I sort of maybe forgot to mention it,” he said, quickly. “But that’s beside the point now. We’re ready to get out of here. What about you? The ladies ready to teach our captors a bit of a lesson?”

“Yeah, we’re ready.”

“Right, set the MST like I showed you and it should deactivate the door locking mechanism. This technology is rubbish so it should be easy peasy.”

“You want us to get going right away?”

“Yep. Do you think you can find your way back to where we transmatted onto the ship?”

“Yeah, I think so. We’re gonna try and create a distraction as well. Did you find Mirin’s father? I have his mother here with me.”

“Molto Bene! Yep, Rehtaf is right here with me. Well best be off. See you in a bit,” the Doctor said as he flew out of her mind as quickly as he entered it.

“Rose?” Rehtom asked her gently.

“Oh, sorry, it’s nothing. Just the Doctor getting a bit psychic is all.” Rose shrugged and pulled out the MST. She looked at the other women and asked them if they were ready.

“We are as ready as we can be Rose,” Nial stated, firmly.

“Good. Let’s go.” Rose turned and aimed the MST at the door which clicked open. She squatted down by the side of the door and listened. She didn’t hear anyone so she stuck her head out. There was no one about so she ordered the women to follow her. As she walked quietly down the passageway toward the transmat site, she looked for sensors or alarm panels. Finally, she came to one.

“Don’t s'pose any of you know anything about one of these?” she pointed to the panel with one black mouse pad type apparatus and several buttons beneath it.

“Don’t you know?” one of the women accused.

Nial stepped forward. “I’ve seen one before. What do you want to know?”

“We need to sound an alarm so that they think there’s a problem, like a fire maybe,” Rose explained.

Nial stepped up to the panel and started pressing buttons. After a few moments, an alarm blared.

“Good job, Nial!” Rose congratulated her. “Let’s move.”

As the women were making their way down the passageway, the Doctor had used his sonic to open the door to the men’s cell. Unfortunately, they weren’t as lucky as the women, and two black uniformed guards showed up, weapons drawn. The Doctor quickly soniced their blasters, disabling them.  The two guards were quickly overcome by their prisoners and knocked unconscious.

“Put them in the cell,” the Doctor directed the men.

While the two guards were dragged into the cell, four more guards raced down the corridor. The Doctor pulled out the skull and cross bone bouncy balls from Tony‘s party. Smiling at the irony of using them, he hurtled the balls against the walls down the hall toward the guards. The balls bounced wildly throughout the corridor pelting the guards and distracting them so the men could overpower them. All were thrown in the cell and the Doctor closed and locked the door behind them.

Rose and her female renegades continued down the passageway ducking in empty corridors when they heard guards approaching. Just as they reached the transmat chamber, five guards ran up behind them with blasters drawn ordering them to halt. The group stood still to avoid a confrontation their captors. All except Rose that is. Rose quietly reached into her pocket and turned around.

“Oi, you lot! What makes you think that you can just take people for your own profit!” Rose shouted at them. She made her way to the front of the group and stood by one of the trembling women and glared at their captors.

One of guard looked her up and down and sneered, “So, you’re the leader, are you? Good of you to show yourself so now we know who to make an example of don’t we. Step forward now or all will be beaten.”

Rose brazenly stepped forward lifted her hand up and blew a hand full of white sneezing powder at their captors enveloping them in a white cloud of fine dust. Immediately, the slavers bent over in a sneezing and coughing fit. The women raced by Rose and began kicking the gasping men until they were completely incapacitated with the exception of one who managed to fire his weapon hitting Rose. Rose fell to the ground with a shriek.

The Doctor and his group quickly made their way through the corridors with little resistance. The Doctor was able to disable the blasters of any guards they met, and the men were eager to violently punish any guards, perhaps a little too eager for the Doctor’s taste. The Doctor stopped at a communications panel along the way and disabled it to prevent any coordination from the bridge of the ship.

They had just reached the transmat chamber when the Doctor heard a commotion in another passageway and felt something cold pass through him. He took off running down the passageway, leaving some of the men wondering what he was doing.

He arrived to find five guards subdued, one with a bloodied face and a knitting needle protruding from his chest. The majority of women had surrounded the fallen guards while others were tending to a figure lying on the ground. The Doctor quickly realized much to his horror, that it was Rose.

“Rose! Step back, please!” the Doctor pleaded.

“Doctor!” Rose called out.

The Doctor was on his knees examining her and found a wound to her leg where she was shot. The wound was mostly cauterized due the blaster’s charge but was still oozing a little blood. It was just above her knee and he quickly tore her jeans and began tending to her wound with his sonic, all the while murmuring comforting words to her.

“Any better,” he asked her once he treated the wound.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure I’ll be runnin‘,” she joked with him.

“Rose, look at me,” he asked her, gently cradling her face in his hands.

“It’s going to be all right. I’ll get you out of here and home. I promise.”

“Doctor, stop it. I’m okay. Let’s just focus on rescuing these people and putting an end to this slave trade, yeah,” she asked him, softly.

He nodded and helped her up. “Right then. Hello, ladies, I’m the Doctor." He waved at the women. "Why don’t you join our lovely group down the corridor while I help Rose hobble over.”

Once the two groups were reunited, the Doctor began working with the transmat controls and transmatted some of the group down to the planet. He turned to Rose, “You’re going in the next group.”

“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t send me away. Remember, we’re in this together,” Rose complained.

“Rose, you’re injured and we need someone on the planet to coordinate and make sure none of these people lay blame on Fred,” the Doctor pleaded.

Rose stared at him, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “Fine. Just promise me that you won’t try and do this alone. I know you’re hurt too. Okay, just promise me.”

The Doctor looked her in the eyes and held her hands. “I promise. I’ll see you soon.” He gently kissed her and walked her over to the next group. “Rehtom, try and keep her out of trouble, will you?” the Doctor asked, half heartedly smiling.

“Don’t worry, Doctor, we’ll be fine. Just watch out for my husband and both of you return to us soon,” Rehtom asked and nodded to her husband.

The Doctor transmatted them down to the planet and was left with Rehtaf, Nial and a few other men. The Doctor pulled a handful of fireworks out of one of his pockets and put them on the transmat pad. He then changed the coordinates to the bridge of the ship, lit the fireworks and transmatted them onto the bridge.

“Right! That should keep them busy for a while. Let’s take a stroll shall we,” he said to his eager group.

As they made their way through the corridors, he stopped periodically to lock various compartments and disengage any security protocols. As they approached the bridge, he turned to his group. “All right, they could still be armed. I have one more distraction up my sleeve, but the rest is up to us. Are you ready?”

“We’re ready, Doctor, let’s just get this done,” Rehtaf stated, his voice strong with no hesitation.

The Doctor nodded and pulled some colored small round balls from his pocket. He soniced the door open and tossed them in and closed it.

“Doctor, what next?” Nial asked, perplexed by what he just did.

“Patience Nial, just another ten seconds.” The Doctor opened the door to the bridge and a strange burnt smell permeated the area and some white smoke drifted into the hall. The only sound was that of gasping, coughing and some swearing. The Doctor smiled. “Oh, I do love a good smoke bomb!”

The group raced into the bridge and after a brief struggle with the crew had control of the ship. The Doctor raced around to the various equipment stations to make sure that navigation, engineering and life support were stabilized. While at one station, he heard a very peculiar noise over a communication panel. He adjusted the panel and found it was coming from a cargo bay. He activated video surveillance. He frowned and deep lines etched into his face.

“Rehtaf, I need to get down to the cargo bay," the Doctor said in a calm voice.  "Do you lot think you can handle this and get in touch with the Cleone government to report these criminals?”

“Yes, Doctor, do you need some help?”

“No, I got this,” he replied, in a clipped voice.

He ran out of the control room straight to the cargo bay. Upon his arrival, he found the source of the howling and crying he heard on the bridge. Strapped upright onto a standing metal frame, was a Yalk and not just any Yalk. This was Fred’s mate. Around him laying on other metal frames were several hides. There was a table beside Fred’s imprisoned mate which contained several long syringes filled with a yellow translucent fluid. The Doctor slowly walked up to the crying Yalk and spoke soothingly to her and scanned her with his sonic. The horror of what they had been doing was all too apparent to him.

“Shhhh, it’s all right. I’m here to help you. Your mate sent me to stop these monsters. I’m not gonna let them hurt you anymore. Let’s get you undone and get you back to the forest,” he spoke, soothingly.

The female Yalk stared at him whimpering. He soniced the restraints holding her arms to each side of the frame and she fell forward and he did his best to break her fall laying her gently onto the ground. While she recovered, he scanned the syringes. They were filled with a form of hormones that would force a Yalk to quickly grow it’s fur and force a molting. This was a horribly painful process. He smashed the syringes against the wall and turned to the tortured Yalk.

“There now, I’m not gonna let this happen any more okay. Do you understand me? Do you think you can walk?”

She turned and looked at him with a soul searching pained look, “Please help. Please don’t hurt. Please take me home.”

“I promise. I’m taking you home.”

“I wouldn’t be making promises you can’t keep slave,” a cold angry voice said.

The Doctor turned to face of his captors pointing a weapon at him. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the Doctor responded, with a cold anger. “As a matter of fact, you should run now. I’m not going to give you a second chance. You don’t even deserve any chance after what you’ve done here.”

The mercenary didn’t flinch, just smiled at him. “Am I suppose to be scared of a weak, injured unarmed slave. You’ve caused me enough damage and loss of profit. I’m not going to just stand by while you steal a very valuable commodity. Oh, and that little trick you used on my crew, won‘t work on this."

He held up a metal pulse hand gun before activating it to charge.  "This is the latest advancement in weaponry with shields that prevent interference from any sonic devices. Now step away from my property or die.” He aimed the pulse gun at the Doctor.

The Doctor didn’t move. He continued to stand in between the mercenary and the female Yalk. “No. I won’t allow you to hurt her anymore. Now I suggest you put down your weapon and walk away or it will be the last thing you do.”

The mercenary shrugged. “No loss to me. It’s not like I could get much for such a scrawny specimen as you anyway,” the mercenary told him.

All of a sudden, a roaring sound echoed from the corridor. Fred thundered through dorr. Seeing the man holding the gun on the Doctor and his mate, he grabbed the startled man by the lapels of  his long black coat and threw him across the cargo a bay. The mercenary hit the wall of the cargo bay with a sick thud and bounced off of it like a broken doll. Fred looked down at his mate and slowly scuffled over falling to his knees beside her. Both Fred and his mate made a gurgling noise to one another and began nuzzling. The Doctor smiled and backed slowly toward the door.

“Doctor,” Fred called to him. “Thank you.”

“Oh, Fred, we’re not done yet. Somewhere on this ship is the cure for your illness. I’m going to find it while you see to your mate.”

Rose hobbled up and put a hand on his shoulder looking down at Fred and his mate and smiled.

“I thought I sent you down the planet to coordinate everything,” the Doctor said in a perturbed tone.

“Yep, and I did. Once everyone was sorted, I asked Rehtom to keep everyone in check and then one of the men on the ship transported Fred and I up here. Apparently, Rehtaf was concerned when you ran off all mysteriously on some daft solo rescue mission. He checked on you on the video and saw Fred’s mate and you facing down one of those mercenaries so he called in the reinforcements,” Rose explained, giving him one of those “You’re so in trouble” looks.

“Rose, I had to get down here. She was in trouble.”

“Yeah, and you had to do it alone did you?” she asked, not letting him off the hook.

“Welll, it was faster,” he responded, looking at the floor and walls and anywhere but her.

“Doctor, no more. You have to let people help you,” she said, in a persuasive but firm voice.

He stared at a wall and tugged at his ear refusing to look at her.  Rose shook her head and sighed.

“Nial thinks she found a medical supply storage room. We also found a storage compartment filled with weapons. They smuggled a lot more than people. So, you ready to check all this out with me?” Rose asked, holding her hand out while the other clutched a walking stick.

The Doctor sighed and he grasped her hand, walking toward the door. He took one more look back at Fred and his mate who still hadn’t let each other go and then walked with Rose to find the storage compartments. It took the Doctor no time to quickly sort the medical supplies and he found the medication for Fred. They went back to the cargo bay where Fred helped his mate.

“Right then, Fred my friend, here we have the medicine that will one hundred percent cure you. Not right away mind you, but still you should start to feel better within the hour. We should probably administer it down on the planet. Does your mate feel up to going home?”

“Home, yes!” she grunted.

“Good.  Let’s get you down to the transmat chamber shall we?” the Doctor asked, pleased to put an end to this particular adventure before the planetary authorities arrived. As they made their way back, they found Rehtaf waiting on them smiling.

“Doctor, I just wanted to see you, Rose and your friends off. Thank you again for helping us and keeping my son safe. I take it we shall not be seeing you again?” he asked.

“Oh, you never know! Never say never,” he told Rehtaf, smiling at Rose. “I would prefer it Rehtaf, if you left us out of this. Also, I would be grateful if you could transmat the molted hides they stole from Fred’s mate down to the planet.”

“Of course. I’ll handle everything personally. Thank you again and good luck to all of you.”

As soon as they were transmatted back to the forest, Fred and his mate howled in joy. They walked back to the cave and the Doctor administered the medicine and instructed them to get some rest. He and Rose decided to leave them in peace to heal and promised to check back on them the next day. As they exited the cave, the met Rehtom and Mirin.

“Rehtom! How are you? Did you get everyone safely out of the forest and settled?” the Doctor asked.

“Everyone except Mirin and I have left. They were most anxious to leave the forest behind. I don’t think you will see any of them back this way. I believe they will be passing along the story of the fearsome beast of the forest for many generations.  Fred and his mate should at least have some peace for a while.”

“Thank you for understanding, Rehtom. Mirin is very lucky to have such a brave and brilliant mum.” Rose said, looking fondly down at Mirin.

“But Doctor, Rose what will you do?” Mirin asked.

“Oh, you know, same old same old. Rescue the downtrodden, kidnapped and persecuted masses. Defend the honor for those unable etc etc.,” the Doctor expounded, waving a hand in the air.

“Uh, Doctor, I think he meant right now,” Rose explained.

“Oh. Well, we’ll stay the night here to make sure Fred and his mate, who really needs a name by the way, are okay and then we’ll be off to finish our little task so we can go home.”

“Is there anything we could help you with?” asked Rehtom.

“Well, don’t s'pose you know anything about the Temple of Neatha?” Rose asked her.

“Oh, yes, it’s not far from here. Just a few hours walk past Fred’s home toward the hill over there,” Rehtom replied, pointing to a hill they could see in the distance. “The priestess are known for their kindness and offer protection to all who seek their guidance,” Rehtom explained.

“Brilliant!” exclaimed the Doctor. “Thank you, Rehtom. It’s been an honor and a privilege getting to know your family,” the Doctor said and shook her hand.

Rose walked over to Mirin and hugged him. “You take care of your mum now. You were so brave out here. I’ll miss you.”

“Thank you, Rose. I’ll never forget you,” Mirin said, hugging her back.

After Rehtom and Mirin left, Rose eased herself down at her camp.  She knew she and the Doctor should talk about his rushing into danger alone.  But he was the Doctor and avoided the really important conversations.  But then so had she when she didn't talk to him about her nightmares.  Her leg throbbed and a heavy exhaustion weighed her down. 

When the Doctor pulled out some bananas, crisps and more protein bars, she accepted the meal in silent gratitude. They both fell asleep quickly curled up together under the alien starlit sky. The next morning they awakened to find Fred and his mate who they quickly named Mable, waiting on them. Fred and Mable brought some fruit for breakfast and Mable’s stolen hides.

“Oh, Fred, thank you so much!” Rose said as Fred handed her a bowl with water.

“You bring back mate and make me well. You good friends. You still want my fur or you want mate’s fur?”

The Doctor was hesitant to accept Mabel’s fur given the circumstances behind how she was forced to molt it. Fred saw his hesitation.

“You make good thing out of bad thing. You take, Doctor,” Fred stated, simply.

The Doctor hesitated but nodded his head in agreement. Mable walked up to them with a deer the size of a horse with a bridle-like device on it. She told the Doctor that they could put some of her hides on it and Rose could ride along instead of hobbling to the temple. Once they had themselves packed up and ready to go, they turned to Fred and Mable.

“Thank you again for everything. I’m so sorry both of you were hurt and went through all of this, but I’m so glad we met you,” Rose said with warmth and a genuine feeling she had made friends..

“Take care of each other," the Doctor advised before glancing at Rose. "Life is so uncertain, as Rose and I have learned the hard way. Love each other every day and relish each and every moment,” the Doctor continued.

Rose was sniffing as they left, touched by the Doctors sentiment. It was so uncommon for him to express himself with honest emotion. He reached over and put his hand on her leg. “You all right?”

“Yeah, just happy to be here with you and be on our way to the temple. I love traveling, but am looking forward to getting home to the TCB. I miss her,” Rose told him, smiling and looking down at him.

“Yeah, me too,” said and squeezed her leg as they ambled along toward the Temple of Neatha.


	13. The Temple of Neatha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After procuring the Yalk hide, the Doctor and Rose finish their task at the Temple of Neatha. After this chapt, their will be some Torchwood, domestics and on to the next task. Thanks for reading.

Rose and the Doctor traveled throughout the day stopping periodically when exhaustion claimed both of them. It was obvious to Rose, from his wincing and how he pressed his side, the Doctor was injured. Any time she mentioned it, he always denied there was anything wrong and changed the subject or suggested they continue on. She frowned and worried but she was aching from her own leg injury as well. And they were on a tight deadline to complete their task. She patted her mount's neck and kept an eye on the Doctor as they ambled along the rocky path. They reached the Temple of Neatha at dusk.

The Temple stood between two hills. It was a simple stone structure constructed of pink, brick-like stones. It reminded Rose of pictures she had scene of a temple in Philae. The front looked like two rectangular buildings that stood about three stories high with no windows and which connected in the middle to form an impressive entrance. The entrance had some elaborate stone carvings of animals and plants over the double dark, aubergine wooden doors. A white horn that looked like it once belonged to some local animal was hanging by the front door.

The Doctor took a deep breath, which caused him to wince from his injuries, and then blew into the horn. A shrill, two-toned sound blared out of the horn. Rose covered her ears but the jarring sound caused her teeth to ache it was so high pitched. The Doctor hung the horn and slapped at his ears before moving to stand next to Rose still mounted on her deer.

It didn’t take long for the doors to open inward into a courtyard. The Doctor and Rose waited, but no one came out to greet them.

“So are we just s'pose to go in?” Rose asked, gazing at the temple, which was now covered by an ominous shadow as the sun sank into the horizon.

“Not exactly welcoming is it?” the Doctor said, while leading her mount in through the gates.

Inside the courtyard, Rose could see what she thought was two buildings was really one U-shaped building. The courtyard was laid with the same pink, brick-like stones that they observed outside the building. There were pillars supporting a covered area, which was attached along the sides of the interior of the courtyard. Beneath the covered area were a series of six wooden doors on each side of the perimeter. In the center of the courtyard, was an enormous tree that produced shade covering much of the area. Behind the tree was another set of double doors with stone benches on either side. The building itself did not have any decorations and was very streamlined in its design. The only decorations appeared to be large, rounded pots, which lined the sides near the pillars and which were filled with a variety of plants and flowers .

“Hello,” a voice called to them. A tall woman with vivid orange hair styled in elaborate braids woven into two horns on top of her head greeted them. She was dressed in a sleeveless, loose, lavender halter gown that cinched at the waist and looked like it was made from the finest silk. She wore pink gold metal bands around her upper arms. Her feet were bare except for gold anklets, and her violet eyes were outlined in a dark kohl.

“My name is Espi. Have you come to serve the goddess, or do you seek shelter for the night?” she asked, in a soft pleasant voice.

“I’m the Doctor, and this is Rose. We are travelers who seek an audience with the high priestess," the Doctor explained with none of his usually energy. "We have been tasked by beings identifying themselves as the Eternals to deliver the hide of the Yalk to the Temple of Neatha. We would like to make this delivery and seek shelter for the night.”

Espi took her time in responding to the Doctor. “Eternals are mentioned in our ancient and most holy texts. It has been over a thousand solar cycles since anyone has come to this sacred place at the behest of such creatures. I must consult with the most holy sister, high priestess Pia. I am sure she will want to meet with you. Perhaps you and Rose would care to rest and take sustenance before your audience with Pia?”

“That would be lovely,” Rose told her with relief, excited to get off her mount.

The Doctor sighed and frowned. “Yes, thank you. We could use a bit of a rest and refreshments.” 

Espi led them over to one of the doors in the courtyard. The Doctor helped Rose dismount careful to not injure her leg further. He slid the yalk furs off and Rose tied up her mount. Their accommodations consisted of a ulitarian, small square room with a small washroom off to one side.

“I will have refreshments brought to you shortly and will consult with Sister Pia. Please feel free to join us for morning blessings in the main sanctuary at dawn. May the goddess bless you with rest and peace this evening.” Espi bowed slightly and left them.

Rose collapsed onto the narrow bed and sighed, “Well, at least there’s a bed and we’re not sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Doctor, you okay?”

The Doctor leaned against the wall, eyes closed almost like he was asleep standing up. “Rose, something about this place is wrong,” he murmured.

“What do you mean? Are we in danger?” Rose asked, sitting up, darting anxious looks around the room.

The Doctor opened his eyes and looked at her. “These priestesses are more than they appear. This place resonates with psychic energy.” Before he could continue, there was a tapping at the door. The Doctor answered it and accepted a tray of food from one of the priestess. They ate a simple meal of bread, roasted meat and a red vegetable that reminded Rose of a cross between a carrot and a radish. The air was heavy between them in a way Rose wasn't accustomed. The Doctor was never this silent and especially not during meals. 

At the end of their meal, the Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose before speaking. “Rose, we need to work on your psychic barriers. I know that somehow you’ve built something of a wall to protect yourself, but it won’t be enough.” His voice was quiet and edged with concern.

“Do we have to do this tonight? I'm completely knackered.”

“Yes," the Doctor responded pinning her with his gaze. "It‘s a bit coincidental that we are surrounded by all this telepathic energy when your telepathic abilities are beginning to manifest and you being with limited barriers. I don‘t trust any of this.”

Rose yawned and nodded her head. “Okay, what do I need to do?”

They sat face to face on the bed. 

“Just relax,” he asked her, as he leaned in and pulled her toward him until they rested forehead to forehead. He placed his fingers to her temple and slipped into her mind. He was immediately faced with the stone wall covered in brambles and roses. He called her name and a gate appeared before him and the doors opened with Rose standing inside the gate, smiling at him. He walked up to her. “What, not going to make me wait around ringin’ a bell,” he teased.

Rose giggled. “I still don’t understand how that happened or about any of this really.”

“The walls are taller and thicker since the last time I was here. I think you’re mind is making adjustments,” he told her, walking in through the gate and examining the walls from both the inside and out.

“What do you mean? How am I doing this?” 

“Remember, I told you that you’re changing. Your mind is constantly working to adapt. This is just part of it. Of course, I suppose the TCB might have given you a bit of a boost too. Rose, come over here and put your hand on the wall. I want you to concentrate on making this wall thick and tall and impenetrable.” 

Rose walked over to the wall beside him and laid her hand against it. She concentrated on the wall thinking of a place where she felt safe. Soon the wall transformed so that it became coral on the inside and TARDIS blue paneling on the outside. The gate even turned into the TARDIS doors. 

The Doctor grinned and a happy noise vibrated in his chest. “Well done!”

"You like that, do you!" she said with a tongue teasing smile. "Well, you once told me the hordes of Genghis Kahn couldn’t break through the TARDIS doors. I’m thinking’ maybe that’s what I need, yeah?”

“It’s perfect," He agreed and patted the wall. "Just remember, if you feel like someone is trying to break in, make sure the doors are shut and visualize yourself in the TARDIS and focus on how strong and protected you are within these walls.”

“I will,” Rose told him, yawning even in her mind.

“I think that’s it for the night,” he said as he pulled out of her mind and opened his eyes and gazed into hers. “Let’s get some rest.” He pulled off his jacket, wincing.

“You’re really hurt and don’t try denying it or changing the subject,” Rose admonished him. “Is it your ribs?” she asked with concern while helping him lie down and get comfortable.

“I may have a few cracked ribs, but I’ll be all right. Superior biology and all. I’ll heal faster than a human,” he assured as he felt his eyes closing in exhaustion.

Rose leaned over and ran her hand across his forehead and through his hair and gently kissed him. She curled up next to him, careful not to press against his ribs, and fell asleep. That night, she dreamed of walking through the temple barefooted dressed in the blue nightie the Doctor had given her for her birthday. She walked around the main temple looking at statutes and mosaic designs until she came to a fair-skinned, elderly woman, She sat on a bench, her white hair plaited in a single braid handing over her shoulder. She wore a long dark purple robe with long sleeves with a silver design around the edges. And she smiled and waived Rose over to her.

“Hello, Rose Tyler. Thank you for coming to see me. My name is Pia.”

“I’m dreaming, aren’t I?" Rose asked and her brow furrowed as she looked around. "Why are you in my dream? Are you in my mind? How‘d you get past my barriers?”

“We are not in your mind. You are in my mind, and this is a shared dream state," Pia explained patting the stone bench to encourage Rose to sit next to her.

"It is against our beliefs to violate the sanctity of another creature’s mind without its permission. I apologize if my method disturbs you, but it is important that I speak with you in private. I do not believe the Doctor would have allowed it. He is very protective of you."

Rose slid onto the bench next to Pia but still cautious of the whole dream communication. "Well I trust the Doctor."

"Yes, I can see that," Pia said, inclining her head. "It is important for you to understand that we wish to help you on your quest but before we agree to accept delivery of the hide, we must have more information. First, why have you agreed to such a task from the Eternals? How did you acquire this hide? What do you wish to achieve?”

Rose clasped her hands in front of her. “Why couldn’t you ask me this in front of the Doctor?”

“You and he are different. There is a shadow over him. He reminds us of a river. Parts of a river may consist of raging and violent currents ready to overflow its banks and rain destruction on the land around it; and yet parts of it contain smooth, calm water that provides sustenance to the creatures around it. He is a contradiction. You, on the other hand, are clear of purpose, filled with hope and life and yet still walk a tumultuous path fraught with danger and destruction. It does not dominate you, but still shadows your purpose. So tell me, Rose, how did you come to be in our temple?”

Rose gave Pia a quick summary of her encounters with the Eternals and then began explaining the tasks and how she and the Doctor arrived here.

“So you see, Pia, we’re just trying to get a break from having these immortals constantly threatening us and our family. We can’t just give them the orb or it could end everything. We’re real worried about innocent people getting hurt over this. We’ve got to try and get these tasks done. Fred, the Yalk, and his mate, Mable were kind enough to give us this hide after we helped free Mable and heal Fred,” Rose explained.

Pia absorbed Rose’s story, closed her eyes and spoke, “You will deliver the hide to me in the temple tomorrow, Rose. Only you will deliver it. The Doctor will not be permitted entrance to the temple. As I have explained to you, the Doctor confuses us. We see a river within a river. One river follows you to nurture fertile fields while the other rages out of control. This is a place of peace and healing. We cannot allow such uncontrolled turmoil to contaminate our purpose. We wish both of you well and will pray for your success. May the goddess protect both of you and grant you peace and strength to face all that lies before you.”

Rose awakened with a start to find light filtering into the room. She heard singing and saw the Doctor in the doorway already awake. He turned and smiled at her. “It’s their morning worship. There‘s breakfast if you‘re hungry.” The doctor motioned to a table on the other side of the room containing what looked like tea, fruit and some kind of light pink bread.

Rose pulled herself up from the bed with the Doctor’s help and made her way to the bathing facilities to freshen up. When she returned, the Doctor was sitting at the table staring into his tea. Rose sat down on the other side of the table and poured her tea.

“Doctor, I had a dream visit with the high priestess last night?”

He perked up and stared at her. “What do you mean, a dream visit? Did they hurt you?” His voice lowered and his eyes darkened.

“No, not at all," Rose assured him. "She wanted to talk to me in private. She says you confuse them. I think they’re picking up on you and the original Doctor. Apparently you look like two rivers in one. One all peaceful, and the other raging. They don’t like it. She wanted to know why we are here and how we got the hides. I think they wanted to make sure we hadn’t hurt the Yalk.”

“I confuse them and they don’t trust me. So they decided to invade your mind and have a chat!” he asked, standing up and pacing, obviously angry.

“Doctor, it wasn’t like that. Calm down! She told me they don’t believe in invading other peoples minds. She said I was in her mind, and it was in some kind of shared dream thing.”

“Oh, and you just believed her, did you,” the Doctor accused. “Rose, you are too trusting and one day someone will use that trust against you to cause harm to you or others!” The Doctor stormed around the room like a caged animal his hands clenching and unclenching.

"That’s enough!" Rose stood up, her face warm with anger. "You keep harping on me about trust. Well trust goes both ways. I’m not a innocent little girl and you have to let me make my own decisions.”

The Doctor whipped around and loomed over her. “But you are young, oh, so young, and you don’t know what they could do to you! What I would do if anything happened to you! I, oh, Rose, what would I become if I lost you,” he deflated, and sank into a chair, his hands covering his face.

Rose limped over to him and placed her hand on his shoulders. “Hey, this is about more than just me and dreaming isn’t it,” she asked, gently. “Please talk to me. You’ve been in a mood since we left Fred.”

“It’s nothing, just that both of us were injured. This is so dangerous. I’m just wondering if it’s worth it. I don’t heal as quickly as I used to, and how can I protect you and keep you safe if I‘m hurt and ….”

“That‘s right, you get hurt easier now and you don‘t heal as quick," Rose repeated in a firm voice. "You’re part human so you need to take care. I know it has to be difficult for you to get used to this part. I love you and it scares me how quickly you risk your life and how easily you could be hurt or worse. Course, it’s also one of the things I love about you. How you stand up to people and protect people who need protecting. Guess I’m a bit messed up, huh,” Rose teased him, trying to lighten the mood.

“We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?” he said with a sad smile grasping her hands in his

“This is our life, Doctor. I love you, and I don’t want you to stop being you. We both just need to take a bit more care is all. I think we learned that during this trip. Besides, we don’t need to be on an alien world to get hurt. We could damage ourselves at home just tripping down the stairs or slipping in the shower,” Rose reminded him.

“Rose, don’t, just don’t." he stood up and pulled her into his arms. "I think I get your point. But lets not talk about all that could bes." He pulled back and cupped her cheek. "Tnough angsting about what trouble magnets we are. Let’s get done with this first task and get back to Sabrina before she leaves us here.” 

“Right, Pia told me that you won’t be allowed in the main Temple and that I will have to deliver the hides so let’s go and get this done and go home. Mum left me a voicemail last night, and we don’t want a repeat of the last time I didn’t answer her.”

The Doctor shuddered at the thought of another Jackie impromptu visit. He grabbed the hides and he and Rose walked to the doors to the main Temple. As they approached, the doors opened and two priestess approached Rose. “The most holy high mother awaits you.” They directed the greeting at Rose.

“Great, can you give me a hand with these hides?” Rose asked, pointing to the Yalk fur the Doctor was carrying.

The priestesses took the hides from the Doctor. Rose pressed a soft kiss against his lips before she hobbled into the main temple. The Doors closed behind her. The main temple was just as she dreamed it. She walked toward Pia looking down at the beautiful mosaics on the floor which seemed to depict places in the forest. There was even a design including the Yalk. The priestesses laid the yalk hides on a table beside Pia.

“Good morning, Rose. I trust you are rested?” Pia asked her.

“Yeah, thanks for the shelter and meals. The Doctor is waiting outside. He wasn’t real happy about it but I explained it to him. So, you know what to do with this Yalk fur?”

“The hide of the Yalk is a powerful thing. You know that no weapon can penetrate a Yalk’s fur?”

“Yeah, the Doctor sort of explained it. I just don’t understand how they captured Mabel if they couldn’t hurt her?” Rose wondered.

“A Yalk’s fur may be impenetrable, but they still have their weaknesses. All living things can be harmed in some way. It’s the goddess’ way to continue the cycle of life.”

“So, you’ll keep it safe right? Mabel was captured by some really bad people who forced her to molt her hide so they could sell it as sort of a bullet-proof vest. You won’t let anyone use it for evil purposes?”

“Calm your mind, Rose. This Yalk fur shall be an offering to the Goddess and shall never leave this temple. Thank you for bringing it to us. The Yalk are one of the Goddess’ favored creations. You and your Doctor are welcome to stay as long as you like, but somehow I think you will be leaving us this day.” She smiled serenely at Rose.

“Thanks Pia, but you‘re right we need to be on our way.”

“Once again, Rose, I bid you the Goddess’ blessings and wish you safe journey.”

Rose nodded her head at Pia and left the temple. The Doctor was outside examining the tree in the courtyard and looked like he was about to climb it. “Doctor! You ready to go?” Rose called out to him.

He turned and walked over to her, looking relieved to see her. “Everything go all right?”

“Yep. We’re done. Let’s get out of here.”

The Doctor helped Rose back on her mount and led them out of the temple gates. After walking a ways he stopped and turned back to look at the building but a thick mist had enveloped it. “Well, that’s just so cliché,” he told Rose.

It took Rose and the Doctor most of the day to cross the forest. The sun had set for several hours before they reached Sabrina’s ship. The Doctor helped Rose off her mount and removed the bridle and slapped it on its hind quarters to send it back into the forest. Rose leaned heavily against him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders trying not to squeeze him too hard, when she heard Sabrina walk up to them.

“You look and smell terrible,” she commented, her nose all scrunched up, and she took a step back away from them.

“Don’t even start with me Sabrina,” the Doctor warned, glaring at her.

“Sorry, Sabrina. We haven’t had much time for a bath, and we’re both knackered. Do you think we could just leave?” Rose asked her.

“Leave, like this! You both reek! I won’t have that stench on my ship. I don’t care what you do, but do it now. We’re not leaving until you deodorize yourselves. I mean, really, have you taken a good look at yourselves? Ick. It’s bad enough having you crammed into my ship and having to listen to his complaints and sulking, but this!” Sabrina shook her head and walked back to the ship and shut them out.

“I’m gonna throttle the little, annoying…”

“Doctor!” Rose interrupted him. “Let’s just go wash up at the lake and be done with it. Please.”

“Fine," the Doctor said with a sniff. "She wins this time but I swear Rose, this is it. No more.” 

They to the lake with the Doctor stopping one more time to glare at Sabrina’s ship. Rose sat on a rock on the lake’s shore, removing her jacket, blouse, boots and socks and taking a cloth out of her backpack, and dipped it into the lake water and began scrubbing herself. The Doctor did the same and pulled out his sonic and began sonicing his and Rose’s clothing to remove some of the debris and particles causing any offensive odors. After spending what felt like an eternity washing up, at least to Rose, they staggered back to the entrance to the ship. The Doctor helped Rose crawl in and once she had scrunched herself in, the Doctor followed, gasping and coughing as he contorted himself to fit in smashing his injured ribs in the process.

Sabrina sniffed and covered her face with her hand. “Well, I suppose that’s better than nothing,” she commented, rolling her eyes.

“Oi! That’s enough! The sooner you get moving, the sooner we get to leave this tiny torture chamber you call a ship!” the Doctor complained.

“Watch it, time twit!” Sabrina retorted.

“Enough, both of you! Let’s just go,” Rose shouted.

Sabrina harrumphed and started their journey. It was the longest few hours of Rose’s life, and that was saying something considering all she had been through. Both she and the Doctor were in pain, hungry and she was dying to use a real loo. When the ship landed, tears of joy pricked her eyes. The Doctor quickly clambered out, wincing and groaning the whole way. Rose was so happy to be back on Earth, she didn’t even notice the pain in her leg. Sabrina followed them out and watched them in amusement as they stretched and clung to one another at the same time.

“So we’re done and I am free of my debt,” Sabrina pronounced. “Rose, thank you for your kindness. It was certainly interesting. Good luck dealing with himself over there. Can’t imagine what you see in him. He doesn’t seem to have much potential as a mate.”

“Yeah, and you’re such an expert on that are you?” the Doctor responded, with attitude despite his exhaustion.

“Yep, actually, I am. I was the premier marriage broker on my world before the whole spolt fig incident.”

“So you’ll be getting back to your family then?” Rose asked.

“Oh, yes. I have to explain to them what happened. Hopefully I can regain my position. You know, Rose, if you ever get rid of this one, I would be happy to come back and help you find a suitable match.”

Rose smiled and looked up at the Doctor, “Thanks Sabrina, but he and I, we already promised each other forever and I’m holding him to that promise.”

Sabrina shrugged. “All right, well, good luck with that. If I’m ever this way, I’ll check back with you.”

“No, you really don’t need to, as a matter of fact, you could…”

“Doctor!” Rose interrupted him. “Bye, Sabrina, take care and thank you!” Rose took the Doctor’s hand and led him away from Sabrina’s ship and back to the car. The Doctor drove them home in silence enjoying the night air and clear starry sky. He pulled into the driveway and Perry opened the front door to the Manor.

“Welcome home, Doctor and Rose. I trust your journey was successful?” he asked.

“Yep, first task done!” the Doctor explained.

“Was there any trouble while we were away, Perry?” Rose asked.

“All was quiet and peaceful. The lovely TCB was quite melancholy waiting for you. She is pleased at your return.”

“Splendid! Oh, it’s good to be home. Thank you, Perry. Rose and I couldn’t have done this without you,” the Doctor told him, patting his shoulder.

Perry noticed the Doctor flinching a bit. “You are injured. May I assist you?” Perry asked with concern.

“No, I think we just need rest. Rose injured her leg and I have a couple of broken ribs and some contusions. Nothing rest and a good meal can’t cure,” the Doctor told him as he and Rose winced and slowly made their way up the stairs.

“If you require anything, please let me know. Rest well, and welcome home.”

Rose paused on the stairs. “Good night, Perry. See you in the morning.”

When they reached their bedroom, they both stopped, looking at the moonlight filled room and the fluffy welcoming bed. They stopped in front of the wall filled with parchments listing the tasks yet to be accomplished. The Doctor turned and looked down at Rose, who had tears in her eyes.

“Hey, don’t worry. We’ll get through this together. No more tears, okay,” he said as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Oh, it’s not that. It’s, well, look, a real loo with a bath and hot water and everything!” she sighed.


	14. Hydras, Hadrys and Back to Torchwood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to learn the next task and for the Doctor and Rose to visit Torchwood. Okay, I may make a cheeky reference to a particular popular genre in modern fiction but it is done with love. I have been known to read this particular genre while sitting around at the Laundromat.
> 
> There's an adultish part at the beginning.

“Roooosssee,” a very annoying voice called. Then the bed shook. Rose burrowed down under the warm and cozy covers, hoping the annoying voice would go away. The bed shook harder as if someone were sitting on the edge bouncing. Rose squirmed her way further into the pillows and blankets to escape the bed-bouncing menace. The shaking became massive bouncing until a certain lanky body fell down next to her and that was when the tickling started.

The blankets slowly but surely fell away from a very naked, sleepy and giggling Rose Tyler as a Time Lord Metacrisis with a fetish for tickling and bouncing on the bed continued his assault. Finally, Rose giggled out, “Stop! You win!”

“Oh, I win, do I? And what do I win?” the Doctor asked, with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Rose smiled a special tongue teasing naughty smile reserved just for the Doctor. “Well, maybe if you were a bit less dressed, you’d find out,” she replied cheekily, as she tugged him down by the lapels of his suit coat. Rose smiled against his mouth as he nipped at her bottom lip deepening the kiss into a toe curling snog. Heat pooled low in her belly as he slid his hands lower, cupping her bum. Rose rolled him over until she was straddling him. Her hands wandered toward his waistband and that special spot that left him gasping. Just as she untucked his dress shirt and was lightly kissing her way down his jaw line while her hands wandered to hidden territories, he decided to strike up a conversation.

“Rose, we have to go down to the garden.”

Rose paused in her lascivious pursuit and looked at him. “What? Now?”

“Well, you are awake, aren’t you?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Yeah, sort of, but wouldn’t you rather, I don’t know, do something here?” she asked, looking down at him and biting her bottom lip.

His response was to pout. “But Roooose, we can copulate anytime. This is important and you have to come see,” he told her, rolling her off of him and bouncing off the bed. “Here, get dressed and let’s go,” he said, tossing her a pair of jeans that were thrown over a chair.

Rose sat up groaning and looked at the jeans he’d thrown at her. She ran a hand through her bed tousled hair and stared at him. “Seriously, you’d rather we go down to the garden then play a little slap and tickle?” she asked as she watched him whip on his glasses peering at the wall covered in parchment and notes about the eleven quests they had yet to complete.

He turned around, his glasses slipping down his nose slightly. “Did you say something?”

Rose sighed as she took in his suit which she had just had the pleasure of rumpling, and his soulful brown eyes enhanced by those luscious lenses that seem to have the power to make her just…

“Rose, come on, let’s go!” he interrupted her steamy thoughts.

“Right, I’ll be just a mo,” she said with a sigh. Rubbing at her face, she dragged herself out of bed to the shower to get ready to start another day of adventure in the madcap world that was her life. Rose stepped into the hot shower enjoying the sting of the hot spray against her skin. She thought about how nice it was to get back from Cleone. It felt like a lifetime ago and yet, it was only a few days. Her leg was practically healed, much to her amazement and the Doctor’s gloating over his superior healing skills. Even the Doctor’s ribs seemed better, or he was just getting better at hiding the pain from her.

She dressed in jeans and a purple jumper with new lavender trainers that just mysteriously appeared in her closet. She pulled her hair back in a pony tail and headed to the garden to find out what had the Doctor so wound up this morning that he had to disturb her lie in. As she stepped into the garden, she marveled at the bright sky and cool fresh air.

“Good morning, Perry, lovely day, isn’t it?” Rose said as she walked further into the garden, running her fingers covered in cool dew from dancing over the shrubbery.

“Good day to you, Rose. You look refreshed and at peace. The Doctor is in the greenhouse eagerly awaiting your arrival,” Perry told her with a very pleased smile on his face as he leaned on his cane.

“Thanks, Perry." She paused to inhale the scent of tiny white flowers dotting some bushes. "You know, I swear I can see an improvement every day. Just listen to the birds singing. Even they sound pleased to be here. You’ve made this place so welcoming and mmmm, these smell lovely. What is this?”

“The garden was always fruitful and full of life." Perry responded and wiped his hands on his green overalls before walking over next to her. "I am merely guiding and encouraging the growth of a variety and proliferation of species. I believe the scent enticing your olfactory senses is honeysuckle. Its scent is particularly vivid in the morning.” His green eyes twinkled as he leaned over and inhaled.

“It’s lovely! Well done, Perry,” Rose complimented him as she wandered over to the greenhouse. She opened the door and stepped into the warm, humid environment which smelled earthy with a tinge of something she could only identify as Doctor. The light in the greenhouse was tinted an orange color due to the Doctor’s manipulation of the greenhouse glass. Assisting in the coral’s growth cycle were the environmental systems which the Doctor and Perry had been working on while she recovered. She was truly amazed at the progress. Of course, the Doctor had been babbling about it over dinner every night, but she hadn’t really absorbed how much progress had been made.

“Rose! There you are!” the Doctor enthusiastically called to her. “Come over here!”

Rose made her way through tables filled with a variety of bags, boxes and bottles of organic liquids, dirt and granular substances until she reached the center of the greenhouse. 

“Doctor, I can’t believe it!”

In this portion of the greenhouse, the Doctor had carved away part of the floor and filled the carved out space with a mixture of organic liquid and an orange granular substance. Protruding from this mixture, were pieces of coral in various stages of development. There were three rows of coral and in the center was one very impressive bit that was bigger than all the rest, about one meter in height to be exact.

“Beautiful!” Rose gasped.

“Isn’t it just,” the Doctor responded with a huge grin on his face. “The one in the middle will be our Tardis, Rose. Yours and mine. It was Perry’s idea to dig through the floor so that the baby coral could be closer to the ground and the source of the TCB. They’re thriving, Rose,” he whispered with amazement and joy.

Rose walked over and looped her arm through his and rested her cheek on his shoulder. “I can’t believe how far they’ve come. Do you think Perry had something to do with this?”

“Well, he is the gardener. Of course, he has a way with living things. He has a natural empathic ability to learn what a living creature needs to grow and even encourage it to thrive. But Rose, I have to confess, this wasn’t all Perry.” The Doctor stopped and took a step back, looking at Rose, nervously running a hand through his hair before taking her hand in his. “You see, you also had a hand in this. Remember how you told me about the dreams you’ve been having? Well when you were having some of those dreams, the good ones, you were humming in your sleep. Quite lovely it was. The night before we left for Cleone, you must have been having an especially lovely dream, at least by the sound of it. I decided to go for a bit of walk in the garden when you started signing in your sleep and when I wandered into the greenhouse, I could see the coral reacting. "You were singing to them, Rose, and they were singing back to you!” the Doctor explained in awe filled voice, getting more and more excited. “Remember in the basement when we first found the TCB, I told you that you would be important. You, Rose Tyler, are full of life and connected to the vortex. I don’t understand it exactly but you are a bit of a mother or nursemaid to these gorgeous infants,” he finished, looking down lovingly at the coral.

Rose was gob smacked. “Why don’t I remember any of this in the morning?”

The Doctor smiled and took her in his arms. “You mustn’t worry. I told you, you're still acclimating to the changes within you. When your mind feels you're ready, you will remember. Besides, since we talked about these dreams, I don’t think you’ve had any nightmares, have you?”

“Well, no, come to think of it, I haven’t. Why do you think that is?”

“Could be the TCB is protecting you. She could have sensed your distress and my concern and decided to take some action to buffer your connection to her.”

Rose looked at him and then down at the Tardis coral. “I suppose that makes sense. I‘ll have to thank her for watching over me.” Rose knelt down near the baby coral and smiled. “So how long before the first one is mature enough for you to go inside?”

The Doctor knelt next to her, grinning with glee at her question. “Oh, maybe a year or two. Could be sooner, though.”

Rose looked at him as he began crooning and singing in some alien language she thought might be Gallifreyan. All she could think was how right this all felt and how good it was for him.

dwdwdwdwdwdw

Later that day, she wandered into the study and found the Doctor white trainers propped up on the desk while he leaned back in his chair caught up in some thick tomb. “Doctor, you haven’t told me about our next task.”

“Oh, we’ll we have plenty of time for that,” he answered, face hidden behind his book and waving a hand in the air.

“Doctor, tell me,” Rose demanded, pushing the book down into his lap.

His eyebrows rose and he stared at her. She stared back and raised an eyebrow at him. Finally, she broke him.

“Fine, it’s the Hydra."

“Hydra, isn’t that the snake-like thing with lots of heads?” Rose asked and slid onto his desk dangling her feet off the side.

The Doctor smiled, jumped up out of the chair and started pacing. He had that sparkle in his eye and Rose knew he was about to ramble off facts about the Hydra. "Hercules was tasked to kill the Hydra which lived in a cave in a swamp filled with deadly gas. Now there is some disagreement as to exactly what happened or even how many heads the Hydra had but generally, Hercules covered his mouth with cloth and entered the swamp where he shot flaming arrows into the cave where the Hydra dwelt. The Hydra was sort of a lizard-like creature with either five or nine heads that was terrorizing the villages, eating cattle, people, causing mayhem, you know the usual." He gestured wildly with his hands and walked over to one of the book cases. "So, Hercules flushes out the good old Hydra and starts hacking off heads. Unfortunately for him, when he chopped off a head, two grew back in its place.” The Doctor pulled a book off a shelf and flipped it open to a page to show Rose a drawing of a Hydra. He then continued with his lecture.

“So the only way to kill it is to hack off its head but two more grow in its place. What’s a hero to do?" He tapped the book in emphasis. "Well, as it turns out, one of the heads was the mortal one and if he lopped off that one, it died. Lucky for him, he had a brilliant nephew by the name of Iolus who came up with the idea to cauterize the stump for every head he chopped so it couldn’t grow back. "Basically, he hacked them all off until he got to the mortal head and bingo, dead Hydra." He snapped the book shut and tossed it on the desk with a thump. "He then used the blood of the Hydra which was deadly poison and dipped his arrows in it which would help him on another task later on. So any questions?” he asked her as he stopped pacing and picked up a banana out of his fruit bowl and started peeling it.

“Tell me we’re not gonna have to have to kill this thing for real.” Rose asked.

“Wellll, not exactly. Our task is involving a mysterious lake by the name of Lake Faol and a mythological creature called the Hadry which is oddly enough right here on Earth. Oh, and not just on Earth but the Scottish Highlands. So you see, we don’t even have to go very far!” the Doctor told her around a bite of banana.

Rose nodded. It was relief to have a task on Earth and not too far away. But then again, if it was an Eternal task, it had to be dangerous. “So what is a Hadry and what does it have to do with this mysterious Lake Faol?”

“Oh, well, the Hadry is described in one particular old Earth legend as sort of a dragon with multiple heads. No fire breathing, mind you. But it's rather lizard-like with scales, five heads, no flying, but known for your eating cattle, terrorizing villages and causing mayhem. Disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared. Legend has it that if the Hadry is destroyed the dry lake near its cave will fill with water and the barren land will become fertile. Our task is to find a way to replenish the lake and bring life back to the surrounding area by the next full moon; or in other words, we might have to sort of killthehadry,” the Doctor told her quickly, hoping the quick explanation confused her.

Of course, this was Rose and she was used to Doctor speak. “We have to kill this thing. This thing that can only be killed if you hack off the right head cause if you hack off the wrong head, you get a bonus head,” Rose stated, matter of factly. “Right. Doctor, I’m not liking this one. It’s not just dangerous, it's, well, bloody and we have to kill a living thing. Can’t we find another way?”

The Doctor sighed. “Rose, I’ve tried. I’ve pulled every bit of research I can find on the area including all the geological records, weather history; and nothing has pointed to a reason why the lake is dry. We only have sixteen more days before the full moon so we don‘t have time to research this further.”

Rose stared off to the side and then grinned that smile that could light up the entire manor. “Doctor, I think it’s time we took a trip to Torchwood.”

“Torchwood! Why do we have to go there,” he whined.

“Cause nothing’s better on supernatural stuff than the Torchwood archives in London. Let’s pack up tonight and we can head out in the morning. Besides, Mum and Pete would love for us to visit. You know how Mum’s been getting on me about family time.”

“Torchwood and Jackie!” He rolled his eyes.

“Oh, it won’t kill ya! Besides, don’t think I don’t know your itching to get down to the Torchwood archives. You can also pay a visit to Malcolm and ask him about his research into that stone scraping he took from the well. Malcolm will be pleased to see you ya know.” Rose left the Doctor muttering about Torchwood and domestics with a half eaten banana still in his hand.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The next morning, they packed up the car and drove to London arriving mid morning at Canary Wharf.

“Rose, Doctor, what are you doing here!” Jake shouted out at them.

“Hi, Jake, the Doctor found some stuff about a dragon that might be living in Scotland so we came in to do some research on it. Is Pete around?”

“A dragon, seriously? How come I haven’t heard about it?” Jake asked warily eyeing the Doctor

“Well, Jakey, my boy, it lives in a bit of a remote area and only shows up periodically. Rose and I thought we might head into the mountains and check it out. You never know when the next dragon apocalypse might happen,” the Doctor told him, slapping him on the back.

Jake stared at him as he started having visions of fire breathing dragons swooping down over London. “Riiiight. Maybe I should give you hand?”

“Thanks, Jake. We’ll let you know. We’re gonna spend some time in the archives first and see what we can find out. But first, I thought we might pop in and visit Pete and let him know we’re here,” Rose told him, amused at the worried expression on his face.

“Well, let me know before the apocalypse happens,” Jake said as they entered the lift with a group of gaping Torchwood employees who shuffled toward the back of the lift, a glint of fear in their eyes.

Of course, Pete had already heard they were in the building and told his assistant to wave them in. It was practically impossible for the Doctor and Rose to be at Torchwood without a wave of gossip spreading like wildfire throughout the building. It was sort of given that if they were in the vicinity, trouble would no doubt follow.

Rose greeted Pete’s assistant, Mary by name and was told to go on into his office. Rose took the Doctor’s hand and dragged him in only to find Pete in a meeting with Minister Elliot Tibbs who was head of the Republic’s security council.

“Rose, Doctor, please join us. You remember Minister Tibbs.”

“Yes, of course, it’s nice to see you again. Everything all right, Minister?” Rose asked, shaking hands with them. The Doctor had wandered off examining items in Pete’s office.

“Ms. Tyler, a pleasure seeing you again. I trust there are no emergencies of which I should be made aware,” Minister Tibbs responded, raising an eyebrow at her.

Rose smiled. “Not to my knowledge. We’re just here doing some research.”

“I see. Well Pete, do be sure to keep me apprised if anything crops up.” Minister Tibbs turned and looked at the Doctor. “With Rose and the Doctor in town, no doubt nerves will be frayed.”

“Uh, yes, Minister, I’ll be sure to keep you informed if any concerns should arise,” Pete said, walking him to the door.

Pete returned and hugged Rose before eyeing the Doctor. “All right, you two, spill.”

“Oh, Pete, I’m hurt. What makes you think anything’s wrong. Maybe we’re just here to visit you, Jackie and Tony,” the Doctor responded.

Pete stared at him incredulously. “Come off it, you two. Everyone at Torchwood knows if you’re here, something’s bound to happen. So what is it, alien invasion, gremlins running amok at St. Paul’s Cathedral?” Pete asked, sitting down at his large mahogany desk which sat before massive windows overlooking the London skyline.

“Dragons, or I should say a dragon. You see, no big deal!” the Doctor told him, sitting down in front of his desk and playing with a meditation cube.

“Dragons, oh is that all,” Pete answered, sarcastically.

“Relax, Pete," Rose reassured him. "We’re just here researching this legend. It’s supposed to live in Scotland but only shows up periodically. We want to go investigate and thought we’d check the Torchwood archives first. Besides, I thought it might be nice if we spent some time with you, Mum and Tony tonight,” Rose explained, in an attempt to calm him down.

Pete shook his head, smiling. “You two! I swear you’re not happy unless you’re up to you're eyeballs in aliens, monsters and mysteries. All right. Just let me know what you find and if you need help. Jackie mentioned you’d be joining us for tea this evening. Just promise me you won’t mention any of this to her, would you?”

“Us, upset Jackie. Would we do that?” the Doctor asked him, eyes wide and sparkling.

“Rose, I’m counting on you,” Pete said, ignoring the Doctor.

“Don’t worry, Pete. The Doctor doesn’t want a slapping. He’ll behave,” Rose said with an encouraging smile. “Come on, Doctor, let’s head down to the archives. I’ll introduce you to Mandy.”

The Doctor put the meditation cube that he had been toying with back on Pete’s desk and hopped up to follow Rose. “So where is this archive, and who's Mandy?”

As the lift doors opened to the basement, Rose explained to the Doctor that the Torchwood basement consisted of several levels. The archives were massive and required four archivists to keep it organized and retrieve research requests. Rose easily made her way through the dark, cool maze of floor to ceiling shelves filled with everything from books, scrolls, tapes, records and electronic recording devices of every sort imaginable. Finally, she reached her destination. Before them among the maze of shelves, was an old fashioned wooden desk that looked like it was made in the 1950s with tall stacks of papers and books laying on it in a haphazard fashion. Sitting at the desk with her black boot clad feet propped up on an overturned trash bin, was a twenty six year old girl with long, curly brown hair. She was dressed in black tights, a green plaid skirt that looked like it was held together with safety pins, a matching green jumper and a yellow and orange scarf wrapped around her neck, with black, horn-rimmed glasses perched her nose. Her focus was on a crystal ball.

“Mandy, what you doing?” Rose asked.

Mandy inhaled sharply almost dropping the crystal ball. When she saw Rose, she jumped up with a bright grin on her face and threw herself at Rose. “Rose! It’s so good to see you! Oh, I missed you. This place has been so boring since you left! Who's this?" Her eyes grew large. "Wholly Jagrafess! You’re him, aren’t you?” Mandy shouted, bouncing up and down.

“Uh, Mandy, this is the Doctor. Doctor, this is my friend, Mandy Booker.”

“Oh, I am so pleased to meet you!” Mandy gushed, pumping the Doctor's hand up and down. “Rose told me all about you while we were researching the void and dimension hopping.”

“Really. You have books on the void and Trans dimensional travel?” the Doctor asked, deep furrows in his brow as he glanced at Rose.

“Well, not really, but we have the physics department which contains every book, paper and theory ever written or discussed. Oh, and then there’s the Star Trek archive! Love the Star Trek archive. There’s really amazing stuff in there! There’s even stuff that wasn’t ever released to the public, you know,” she explained, winking at him.

The Doctor looked at Rose, who was biting her lip trying not to laugh.

“So Mandy, you, Rose...and was Mickey in on this too?” the Doctor asked.

“Oh, Mickey, what a sweetheart. We all really miss him. You know, he could quote almost more Star Trek episodes than me. He gave me all his trekkie stuff before he left,” she said with tears in her eyes.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and stared at Rose. “Uh, Mandy, the Doctor and I have a new project and need your help with some research.” Rose said, sidling up to the Doctor.

“Sure Rose, anything for you. What’s this one on? Some new alien threat,” she asked, with just a bit too much excitement.

“Naw, just a dragon,” Rose told her.

Mandy’s eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. “So what kind of dragon and any particular habitat?”

“What kind of dragon and habitat. Oh, Mandy, I think maybe you and I are going to be great friends!” the Doctor said, warming up to her.

The Doctor quickly summarized the Hadry story to Mandy, and she pulled up a hologram of the archives and began tracking down any resources regarding the area of Lake Faol. While Mandy and the Doctor reviewed the results of her search, Rose walked around her desk and picked up a book and started reading it.

“Rose, what do you have there?” the Doctor asked when he turned around and Rose was gone.

“A book.”

“I can see that. But what book? Here let me see,” he said, grabbing it out of her hand and walking around the desk. He scrunched up his face and turned to Mandy and read the back of the book. “Starlight Journey. Jasmine is Earth’s last hope for salvation from the tyranny of the Aleusion Confederation as she makes her way to the Orion Nebulae seeking alliance with the Aleusion’s feared enemy, Castor a mysterious mercenary who has vowed to help her. Will the steamy telepathic Castor assure her success? Or will he seduce her with his alien wiles?” He dropped the book on the desk with a thud. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me! Who writes this rubbish?” he asked, looking from Mandy to Rose.

“Oi! It’s not rubbish. It’s a paranormal romance. This is the latest, most trendy genre in romantic fiction!” Mandy defended, as she grabbed the book and held it to her chest protectively.

The Doctor shook his head. “Oh, Mandy, we really have to get you out more. If you want romantic fiction, I’ll give you romantic fiction. I mean, Jane Austen, Lord Byron or John Keats, even Margaret Mitchell wrote something more romantic and more worthy of reading than this rubbish.”

“This is not rubbish. This is romantic science fiction,” Mandy emphatically declared to him.

“All right everyone, let’s settle down." Rose stood in between the Doctor and a glaring Mandy. "Let's agree to disagree. Now, Mandy, let’s start going over the stuff about the lake and the Hadry, yeah?” Rose said, to end the debate.

The three of them spent all afternoon reading articles and accounts of the Hadry and the lake from hundreds of years ago to the present. Rose’s mobile rang, and she looked down and winced. “Uh, Doctor, it’s Mum. She want’s to know when we’ll be home for tea. It’s getting late and I’m starving. Do you think we have everything we need?”

The Doctor sighed. “I suppose so. Mandy, can we get copies of everything I listed on this tablet?”

“Sure! No problem. So are you going after this thing?”

Rose giggled. “Mandy, it’s a dragon and it’s us. Of course we’re going. Right, Doctor?”

He looked over at her with a grin on his face. “A dragon and a mysterious lake. Well, Lewis sounds like we’ll be heading to the Scottish Highlands.”

“Yep, after we visit my mum.”

“Oh, you had to go and spoil it.” The Doctor pouted.


	15. Off to Meet the Hadry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapt may be a tad bit domestic. I kind of hinted at Jackie’s thoughts in the Pirate Party chapt. It all comes to a head here. Also, Who in Whoville inspired me with some of her comments as to some parts of this chapt.

The Doctor sat at the end of the table playing with Tony. Rose smiled as they guided their toast ships to land into their eggs.

“He’ll make a wonderful father one day,” Jackie pointed out.

Rose smiled and sipped her tea, trying not to encourage Jackie’s thoughts regarding marriage and children. Her mother had already cornered her last night after dinner to hand her some bridal magazines. Rose didn’t want to take them but had no choice.

“Have you talked about it?” Jackie probed.

“Talked about what, Mum?”

“Marriage and children.” Jackie heaved and exasperated sigh.

Rose tightened her grip on the mug. Her mum was not going to let this go. “We have a lot on our mind with the house and the Doctor hasn’t even been here a year. There’s no rush.”

“Rose, you’re not getting any younger and neither is he. Seriously, you need to talk about it. You know how much I would love to help you plan a wedding. After everything you two have been through, I should be think you'd be ready to…”

“To what, Jackie,” the Doctor interrupted, staring at her from the end of the table.

“To marry my daughter, that’s what,” Jackie said in a no-nonsense tone.

The Doctor's mouth gaped and he stared at her, unsure how to respond. Rose stared intently at her tea. Pete ignored everything and read the news on his ipad while Tony, oblivious to the tension around him, continued to play spaceship with his breakfast. After the tension grew as thick as molasses in January, Pete escaped, taking Tony upstairs to get cleaned up for school.

“Is it so hard to believe that I want my daughter married with a family of her own?" Jackie asked. "You two have been together for years and practically finish each others sentences. Doctor, I don’t know how they do things where your from, but on Earth people who love each other, live together and shag in my house, get married!”

The Doctor dropped his spoon on his plate with a clatter. “Rose and I have never been intimate in this house!” He scrunched up his face and pushed his plate away from him revolted at the thought. “As if we would ever, knowing you’re in the house.”

Rose remained silent and stared into her tea, hoping for an alien invasion or catastrophe of some sort to save her from having to intervene in what felt like a domestic conversation of epic proportions.

“Well, that’s beside the point," Jackie commented. "You need to think about the future. What about children? Doesn’t Rose deserve that, and what about you? Don’t think I didn’t see you at Tony’s birthday party. You have a gift with children. Besides, would it hurt you to make me a grand? Didn‘t your people ever get married? I‘m sure on your planet there must have been some customs about marriage and children,” Jackie continued, sipping tea and watching him like the proverbial hawk.

The Doctor was very quiet and looked down at his tea before responding. “Yes, there was marriage and children. Marriages were arranged by contract based on genetic compatibility. Children were loomed. Time Lords weren’t concerned about parties and whether or not the happy couple had feelings for one another,” he said quietly.

“Enough!” Rose stated with a bite in her voice. “This is between the Doctor and me. We’ve promised each other forever, and I don’t need anything more. I don’t need us to stand in front of a crowd of London society to make promises, wearing a fluffy white dress and eat cake. Besides, with our luck there’d probably be an alien invasion or a horde of Olikki would pop out the cake and start an infestation.”

Jackie sighed. “I’ve watched the two of you since he was all leather and ears, and sweetheart, no two people have sacrificed their own happiness for the greater good as much as you. You deserve a celebration. I know you’ll never have an ordinary life, but please think about it. Nothing would make Pete and me happier than throwing a wedding for you two. Just think about it.”

The Doctor recovered from thinking about marital sanctioning ceremonies and Gallifrey. He watched Jackie and Rose while he munched on his toast laden with an obscene amount of orange marmalade. He wondered if Rose really did want some sort of ceremony and party. His inner Donna started to kick in a bit, and he wondered what Rose would look like in a wedding gown.

“Did you say there would be cake? I mean, not that I’m agreeing to any of this. I’m rubbish at weddings, but what kind of cake? Would there be edible ball bearings? What about nibbles? Would we have to dance? I might think about it if there was a banana theme or maybe blue?”

Rose stared at him in shock. She wondered if she was hearing things or if he actually just said something positive about a wedding. She never thought the Doctor would even consider it. A part of her had shoved any thoughts about weddings and babies firmly behind a very tightly shut door in her mind. She just didn’t want to consider any of those things as a possibility or even hope for any of them, if he was strictly opposed.

Rose turned back to Jackie who was smiling at this small victory. It was time to make an escape plan and quickly.

“Right well, guess we better be off to Torchwood. We have to get ready to head out to the mountains,” Rose said. She stood up and began clearing away dishes.

“Rose, do you have to leave already? You’ve only just arrived last night? Can’t you at least stay for tea this evening?”

“Sorry, Jackie, we must be off," the Doctor added. "We have a bit of an expedition into the Scottish Highlands, you know!” He gulped down his tea.

Jackie frowned. “Why are you going there? Oh, this isn’t some alien thing, is it?”

“Aliens, no, nothing like that! Right, Rose?”

“No, Mum, not aliens. Just checking out a mysteriously dry lake.”

Jackie looked at them and squinted her eyes. “Right, you expect me to believe that do you?”

“Yep!” the Doctor told her cheerily as he jumped up from the table and ran upstairs to retrieve their bags.

“Don’t worry, Mum. We’ll be back.” Rose walked over and kissed Jackie and went upstairs to help the Doctor and keep him out of trouble. They quickly said goodbye and promised to talk to Pete before they left Torchwood. Jackie pulled Rose aside and made her promise to at least look at the bridal magazines and call her when she returned from their trip. When they arrived at Torchwood, they bumped into Malcolm.

“Malcolm! How’s things in research? They letting you out more?” the Doctor asked in an annoyingly cheery and bouncy mood the result of too much marmalade.

“Doctor, Rose, how lovely to see you! Are you here on a mission?”

“Yeah, we are. It’s something the Doctor found. Maybe you could help us?”

Rose asked while the the Doctor stilled and frowned at her. Rose ignored him.

“I'd love to!" Malcolm affirmed with enthusiasm. "Oh! I have the results from the well samples. Simply riveting! Would you care to see?”

“We'd love to! Rose answered.

“Yes but Rose and I have to get cracking on this project first," the Doctor said wrapping his arm around Rose. "We’ll see you later, Malcolm. Come along, Rose!” The Doctor urged Rose down the hall.

“What was that about? Malcolm could help us.”

“Rose, the fewer people, involved the better. Besides, it could take Malcolm hours to explain his test results. We need to get going.”

“Doctor, we’re going see Malcolm before we leave and that’s the end of it. Malcolm’s a friend, and I trust him.”

Rose strode forward, not looking to see if the Doctor was beside her or not. She was irritated at his insistence on keeping everyone at a distance. Malcolm was there for them when they needed help and he was brilliant and all of Rose’s instincts told her to trust him. Besides, it wasn’t like they were dragging him with them to face the nasty multi-headed dragon.

Rose walked into the lab that was reserved for the Doctor and her whenever they were called in to assist Torchwood. She slid into her chair and logged onto her laptop. The Doctor walked in behind her, being unusually quiet and if Rose was to admit it, moody.

“Looks like Pete has already authorized some equipment and for Jake to come with us.”

“Rose, we don’t need Torchwood in on this,” the Doctor said as he shoved items around around his workspace.

Rose walked over to him. “Doctor, we’ve been over this. It’s Jake. You like Jake, and he respects you. It’s not like you have to report to someone or write a report. Sometimes it’s good to accept help.”

“But it’s Torchwood.” His voice was clipped and he refused to look at her.

“You know that it was Torchwood that helped me find you," she reminded him. "And you like a lot of people here." She bumped her hip against his. "How many times have I found you in the cafeteria having a good time with agents, scientists and secretaries. You even have the janitors wrapped around your little finger,” Rose told him softly and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him softly on the neck.

He relaxed and turned around, gazing into her eyes. “It's dangerous and I couldn’t bear for anyone to be hurt. Remember the fountain? That could have gone so wrong, and Malcolm or Jake could have…”

“But they didn’t, and even if they did, they understand. When you work for Torchwood, you know how dangerous it is,” Rose reminded him. “Now then, let’s meet with Jake and then we can pop down to visit Malcolm.” He sighed before nodding his head and followed her out the door.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

They met Jake in a conference room where he was assembling the equipment they would need for their trip.

“Jake, I don’t suppose you asked for this assignment?” the Doctor asked, walking around the table filled with packed bags.

Jake smiled. “Dragons. Sounded like fun, and probably a lot more fun than sweeping the sewers for the latest alien invasion.”

“Aliens in the sewers? What’s that about?” Rose asked, curious but glad it wasn’t her.

“Oh, something that looks like a cross between a rat and a saber tooth tiger. Apparently, when that Brindsi ship crashed here a few months ago, they had a little rodent problem and they escaped. They've been living in the sewers. Nasty little buggers, and no matter how many we catch, there’s always more.”

The Doctor had been examining the equipment Jake was packing perked up at the mention of the Brindsi ship. “Sounds like Satous. They're your basic intergalactic rats. You can find them on pretty much every cargo ship," he said poking at a sonic scanner. "You may never get rid of them. Maybe when we’re back I can lend a hand. I have an impeccable track record with rat removal!”

Rose giggled thinking of the rat problem they had at the mansion which he had quickly remedied with his sonic and a recorder. She asked Jake to meet them in the garage in a few hours and explained they had to see Malcolm and Pete before they left. Malcolm’s lab was just as they anticipated, filled with projects. One wall was filled with an old fashioned white board where Malcolm had been scribbling notes and formulas and he had three computer stations running various equations and experiments. He must have had every piece of scientific equipment available on Earth and few not from Earth. The Doctor was immediately enamored of one particular piece of equipment and was practically fawning over it.

“Ah, Doctor and Rose! I have the results right here,” Malcolm told them, heading over to a counter lined with equipment. The Doctor lifted his head up from the tech he was poking at and walked over to Malcolm. Rose wandered around Malcolm’s lab while the Doctor and he talked about the results. Rose had just sat down on a stool and was playing with Malcolm’s sonic pen when the doors to the lab opened and Mandy burst in.

“Doctor, Rose, you’ll never guess what I found!” Mandy stated with excitement. Mandy’s outfit today consisted of her black boots, purple tights, purple and orange tweed skirt, an orange sweater and purple Mardi Gras beads wrapped around her neck.

Rose hopped off the stool and walked over to her. “Whatcha got for us, Mandy?”

"I found this in some old church records." She held out her ipad. "Looks like there was a monastery in the area and some of the monk’s kept records. Look, there’s even a drawing of it!”

Malcolm and the Doctor walked over to take a look at the image of the Monk’s records. “Malcolm, have you met Mandy?” Rose asked,, frowning at the image.

Malcolm adjusted his glasses and shook his head no. He stared wide eyed at Mandy whilst Mandy smiled shyly at him. “Yes, I‘ve heard about Dr. Taylor. I pulled a stack of research for you on ancient alchemy and Element D36.”

Malcolm continued to stare, seemingly incapable of speech until the Doctor poked him. “Yes, oh, yes, I remember. Outstanding work, Ms. Booker. You, well, your work is always perfect and I,uh, I really… I‘m sorry we don‘t get to work together, uh, more,” Malcolm babbled, blushing and fidgeting.

Rose grinned at the two of them and decided they definitely needed to work together more. She looked up at the Doctor and winked at him. He shook his head and tried to stop “Matchmaker Rose” from taking over the situation.

“Brilliant work, Mandy! Could you download this so Rose and I can take it with us. We’re leaving in a few hours.”

“Is there anything else I can help you with?” Mandy asked.

“As a matter of fact, there is. We’d love it if you and Malcolm could be our support back here at Torchwood,” Rose asked her.

“Support? What is your project, Rose?” Malcolm asked, still fidgeting.

“Rose, I don’t think…” the Doctor started to say.

“Oh, Malcolm, it’s fascinating!” Rose said, excitement gleaming in her eyes. “You see, there’s this legend about a lake that dried up at about the same time a dragon appeared. The dragon disappears and reappears throughout history. The Doctor and I are going to investigate. Maybe you and Mandy can work together and research the climate and geology of the area and see if there are any anomalies to account for what’s happening. That sound all right?” Rose asked him, flashing him a brilliant smile.

Malcolm pushed his glasses back up his nose, “Well yes, I suppose I could do that. Might make for a nice break and I don’t have anything urgent right now.”

“Fantastic!” Rose patted him on the shoulder. “Mandy, you don’t mind working up here with Malcolm, do you?”

Mandy blushed. “No, I’d love to work with Dr. Taylor. Everyone knows how brilliant he is.”

“That’s our Malcolm! The unsung hero he is,” the Doctor piped in, slapping Malcolm on the back.

“Right, well, the Doctor and I have to meet with Pete so we’ll leave you two to work out the details. We’ll be in touch.”

Rose tugged the Doctor out of the room. “All right, what did you do that for?” the Doctor asked her in a an unhappy tone of voice.

“What do you mean? They’re perfect for each other.”

The Doctor sighed. “Rose, when did you suddenly develop this need to match make? You know it doesn’t always work out, and now we’re in the middle of it.”

“Says the Time Lord who matched my mum to alternate universe Pete.”

“Oi, that was different!”

Rose just smiled and took his hand in hers as they caught the lift to Pete’s office. An hour later, they met Jake in the garage and were off to the zeppelin port and Lake Faol. 

The trip took them about three hours curing which the Doctor paced back and forth, peering out the windows, examining everything including annoying the pilots regarding their equipment, route and airspeed.

“Rose, is he like this all the time?” Jake asked as he stared in amazement at the Doctor’s manic pacing and muttering.

“Pretty much, yep,” Rose answered as she paged through the wedding magazines, trying to keep the content secret from Jake.

“You know you’re doing a rubbish job of it,” Jake told her while reading something on his laptop.

“What?” Rose asked.

“The magazine. Come on, Rose, it’s kind of hard to hide pictures of women dressed as fluffy, white meringues.” Jake chuckled at her.

Rose blushed. “It’s not my fault, Jake. Mum’s driving me spare about getting married. Before I left, she shoved the magazines at me.”

“Huh. But you're readig’ them, aren’t ya?” He smirked.

“I promised I would. I don’t know, Jake. I thought for sure the Doctor would practically break out in hives at the word wedding but now, well, he sort of acted liked he was thinking about it.”

Jake started laughing but tried to hide it by coughing. “Rose, the man loves to eat, loves sweets and loves you. He’d get all that and more at a wedding. Besides, if you and him are tying the knot, it would not be a typical in the church with the priest blessing you type of affair. I know people who would pay money just to see you two get hitched, especially to see what he’d do and what Jackie would say,” he finished, trying to hold back his laughter.

“It’s not funny, Jake.”

“What’s not funny?” the Doctor asked and plopped himself down next to Rose, grabbing the magazine before she could tuck it away.

“Bride’s Day magazine. You get this from Jackie?”

“Uh yeah, I sort of told her I would look at it,” Rose told him nervously tucking hair behind her ear.

“Hmmm.” He quickly fanned through the pages. “Not exactly your style. I’m not wearing a tux. I want a banana cake with edible ball bearings. No church. It has to be someplace with some history; our home project has to be done; absolutely no pears; I will not dance with Jackie and I want a chocolate fountain.” He tossed the magazine back on Rose’s lap and bounced back up and continued his pacing.

Rose looked up to find Jake grinning at her. “Stop it. He can’t mean it.”

“Oh, I think he does,” Jake told her, starting to tap away at his laptop.

“Jake, what are you doing? Tell me you’re not emailing someone about this. No, you can’t!” Rose jumped up and tried to wrench the lap top away from Jake which only made him more determined as he cackled at her desperation.

“What are you two doing?” the Doctor asked.

By this time, Rose and Jake were wrestling on the floor. Rose stopped and looked up at him. “Jake is emailing someone about us looking at wedding magazines. He can’t. What if it got back to Mum?”

“Ahh, yes, Jackie the dragon lady. Come to think of it, maybe we should have brought Jackie. We could have thrown her in the cave with the Hadry. Bet she’d win too!” the Doctor said, scratching his head. “Naw, then we’d have to listen to her going on about weddings and procreating and I can’t even believe she’s done this to us. Look at us, Rose, we’re reading wedding magazines because she’s suffering from sort of midlife crisis.”

“Shhhh. Don’t say that. I swear she’ll hear you and we’ll be in lock down in London, forced to stay with her and Pete for at least a week.” Rose said, biting her finger nail, eyes wide with fear.

The Doctor personified a look of horror and whipped out his sonic and pointed it at Jake’s laptop. “Jake, don’t make me use this.”

Jake quickly shut off his laptop. “You two are such nutters,” he muttered.

They arrived at a small zeppelin port a few kilometers outside Fort William. Once there, they traveled by Jeep into town at the base of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the Republic of Great Britain. Lake Faol was in an upper valley at Ben Nevis. Pete had rented them a cabin to use as their base of operations.

They arrived late in the day and met the caretaker, a middle-aged lady with short, black, curly hair wearing boots, jeans and a thick, green wool sweater.

“Mrs. Cameron?” Rose asked.

“Yes, ma'am. Would you be Ms. Tyler?”

“Yes, we’re here from Torchwood. I believe Mr. Tyler made arrangements for us.”

“Yes, ma'am. You’re in the far cabin. It’s been stocked with some dry goods. The linens are fresh and I left the makings for a fire. There’s no phone so if you need to ring me, you’ll have to use your mobile. You have my number, yes?”

“Yes, thank you.”

After Mrs. Cameron gave Rose the keys, they drove out to the cabin and unloaded things and equipment to set up a home base of sorts. The cabin was very standard with two bedrooms, a loo and one main room that contained a very small utilitarian kitchen. It was not luxurious.

“It’s a bit late to get a start up the mountain. Maybe we should head into town and find a pub and see if we can’t suss out the locals for any gossip about this lake,” Jake suggested.

“Ah, yes, the domestic approach. Well, suppose I could do with a bite to eat and a pint,” the Doctor said, patting his stomach.

Rose rolled her eyes. The first thing blokes always wanted to do on trips was visit the local pub. “All right, let’s go meet the locals.”

They found a pub named the Brodie Moor Inn, which was located in a very old but otherwise nondescript building with a dark wooden door with a worn wooden sign hanging next to it declaring the name of the inn. When they walked into the dim interior, the murmuring conversation slowed and almost stopped. Several people stared at them. The bartender waved them over to a table.

After they settled down, the Doctor leaned over to Rose. “Friendly place. Definitely something’s up here.”

A casually dressed brown-haired waitress by the name of Agnes came over to take their order.

“A pint of lager, two pints of heavy and three fish and chips,” Jake ordered for them.

In the warm, dark interior, the could see the pub was filled with not only locals but hikers and tourists. The locals seemed to be huddled around the old wooden bar talking to the bartender. A few more were playing darts in a back corner.

Agnes returned with their ale and before she could leave, the Doctor started asking her about the town and mountains. “So, Agnes, are you from these parts?”

“Yeah, my family has lived her for five generations.”

“Really, well, we’re here to investigate the dry lake up near Ben Nevis. A bit of a scientific expedition. We’d love to hear what the locals think?” the Doctor asked, with a charming smile.

Agnes hesitated before answering him. “Not much to tell really. The lake just disappeared one day, but that was centuries ago. What does it matter now anyway?”

“Oh, well, we’re a curious lot. We just want to understand what happened. Maybe we could stop it from happening again. So no records or local history about it then?” the Doctor prodded.

“Oh, you know, there’s always stories. People talk but you being scientists. I’m sure you’ve already heard all that. So you heading up there tomorrow then?”

“Yes, we are. We hear it’s quite a hike,” Rose said.

Agnes nodded. “You take care up there. It’s dangerous, you know. Parts can be a bit barren. Lots of hikers get lost in those mountains never to be seen again. Make sure you stick to the marked trails.”

“Thanks, we’ll be careful. We thought we might head up to the old observatory. So do you know why they abandoned it?” Rose asked her.

Agnes’ face was like a stone mask. “That place is dangerous. There was a terrible storm, and the observatory was destroyed killing everyone. Best be avoiding that place. Scuse me, I have customers.” Agnes left them abruptly.

The Doctor smiled with glee. “Oh, I like this place! A pub with character. Mysterious deaths. Possible dragon. Suspicious townspeople. Oh, and fish and chips! Just like old times, eh, Rose!”

Rose grinned picking up on his energy and looked over at Jake, who just shook his head. “You two are just mad! And so am I for running offf with you two into the wilds of the highlands. I could‘ve stayed with the saber-toothed rats in London and been at a local pub with regular blokes.” Jake shook his head. “At least it’s not the sewers,” he muttered, taking a long drag of his ale.


	16. Water Spirits and Legends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose, the Doctor and Jake have arrived in the town of Fort William near Ben Nevis and Lake Faol where the mysterious Hadry has been reported lurking. What will they find when the venture up to the old abandoned weather station or at Lake Faol? Will Mandy and Malcolm find anything else to help them? Will the Doctor and Rose restore the lake and complete their second task? Warning of slight swearing and some blood.

Rose awakened the next morning to find the Doctor gone and light filtering into the bedroom. In preparation for her trek into the mountains, she dressed in layers of clothing including jeans, a sapphire blue woolen sweater and hiking boots. She braided her hair and grabbed a heavy coat and went to find the Doctor and Jake. They were sitting at the small table in the main room enjoying their tea, coffee and scones.

“Mmmm, something smells wonderful!”

“Good morning, love! I found the most delightful little café down the way. Glory recommended these fresh baked scones and homemade raspberry jam.” The Doctor licked said jam off his fingers.

“Glory?” Rose asked.

“Oh, the barista from the coffee shop. Lovely girl. She’s due to have her second born in four months,” the Doctor answered her.

Rose smiled. She should have known it wouldn’t take him long to make friends, even in a small, mistrustful town like this. She settled down and dug into the still warm scones. They discussed their plans for the day and decided they would hike to the top of Ben Nevis and check out the abandoned weather station first. This would also give them a vantage to scope out the surrounding area. They geared up with back packs and assorted equipment and started the trek up the mountain.

“So, Doctor, on your walk to the coffee shop this morning, did ya find out anything more about the weather station?” Jake asked.

“Not much more than the waitress told us. Seems there’s a bit of a ghost story about it. The locals think it’s haunted by the spirits of the scientists. I think it’s more likely that a storm blew through and damaged it and the scientists left. Now anytime the wind howls, they think there are ghosts about.”

“First a dragon and now ghosts. You really know how to pick a spot for hike, don’t ya, Doctor!” Jake teased him.

“Yep, that would be us, Jake! Come to find a dragon and get ghosts free of charge,” Rose added.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

At the destroyed weather observatory, Rose and Jake removed their backpacks and walked the site. The Doctor whipped out his sonic and made his way inside the wrecked building. After a little over an hour of examination, they stopped for lunch.

“Did you find anything, Doctor?” Rose asked.

“Well, there are some odd vibrations. It’s nothing that a human would feel. Well, at least not on a conscious level. My senses are bit more acute so I noticed it right away. Prolonged exposure to these vibrations could account for a weakening of the structure,” he explained, sipping tea from his thermos.

“Do you think it had something to do with the building collapsing?” Rose asked.

“Maybe. Like I said, it would take years to weaken the structure. Could be why it collapsed when the storm or something else hit it.”

“What do you mean by something?” Jake asked, peering around the area on the lookout for anything threatening.

The Doctor shrugged. “Could be our dragon. It’s hard to say after all this time, but it doesn’t look like wind blew it down.”

“You mean it’s not like the three little pigs and the big bad…” Rose trailed off when she realized what she was about to say. She paled and set her sandwich down and stared out over the rocky terrain.

The Doctor walked over wrapped his arm around her pulling her close and kissing her temple. She closed her eyes and snuggled into him. “Tell me it’s a coincidence,” she whispered to him.

“I'm sorry, I can’t say that," he murmured against her temple. "I can tell you that there’s something here and this is where we’re meant to be.” He lifted her chin up until they gazed into each other’s eyes. “Together.” she nodded her head and gently kissed him.

“What’s this all about. What does some fairy tale about pigs have to do with any of this?” Jake asked, puzzled.

“Nothing. Just something that happened to us in the other universe. Bad memories you understand,” the Doctor explained. “Well, I think we’ve had enough of lunch and the most definitely not haunted, abandoned weather observatory. Let’s check out the surrounding terrain and see if we can spot a path to the lake bed.”

They gathered their things and pulled out some scanners that could detect rift activity or unusual radioactive spikes and began scanning the area around the mountain. After they made several passes, Jake turned to the Doctor. “I’ve got nothin‘. You find anything unusual?”

“Nope! Just boringly normal,” the Doctor reported. “Rose, anything?”

Rose was quite focused on something at a lower elevation. “There!” She pointed in a particular direction. Jake and the Doctor raced over.

“What?” Jake shouted, tensing up ready to run.

“Something’s weird over there,” she told them.

“Define weird,” the Doctor asked her.

“I dunno weird. Something big moved. I sort of caught it out of the corner of my eye.”

“Well, what was it?” Jake demanded.

Rose shrugged her shoulders, turned and went back to her backpack.

The Doctor and Jake looked at each other and then at Rose. The Doctor shrugged.

“Sometimes, I hate you two,” Jake muttered.

As it turned out, the weird thing Rose thought she saw was in the direction of Lake Faol. They made their way down the mountain toward the lake. As they grew closer, the vegetation thinned out until eventually nothing was growing.

“Barren wasteland was no exaggeration,” the Doctor commented. He scooped up a dried clump of soil, crumbling it in his hand and watched the dust float away in the wind. “There is almost no moisture in the soil and look at the color of the rocks.”

“They’re a different color than up on Ben. Is that normal?” Jake asked.

“No, this is the same geology. Shouldn’t be that different, even at a lower elevation. And even if it was, it should be gradual. Look behind us,” the Doctor told them.

“It’s like someone drew a line,” Rose said. “Weird. That doesn’t happen in nature, does it?”

“Nope. Definitely something off here,” the Doctor said, smiling and rocking on his heels.

Jake rolled his eyes. “Come on, you two. Let’s get to the lake and find your dragon.” Jake stopped and turned to them. “Blimey, I’m as bad as you nutters now!”

Rose smiled and grasped the Doctor’s hand in hers. They bounced down the path past Jake toward the lake. When they reached the lake bed, the paused and scanned the area. It was even more barren and dry. The lake bed was not flat. There were areas that dropped off and it was quite rocky. The soil was was criss-crossed with cracks and it reminded Rose of a parched desert more than a dry lake in the Scottish Highlands. The red tint to the granite they found on Ben was completely absent here. Even the air smelled stale.

“Right, so as you can see, this was once a lake that was quite deep in some areas," the Doctor lectured, walking across the dry soil. "It was probably fed by a spring as well as melting snow. So the question is, what happened to all the water and why isn’t it filling up with water from the melted snow?”

“It doesn’t look like any water can even reach the lake,” commented Jake.

“Exactly! Brilliant Jake. So tell me, why do you think that is?”

Jake looked around at the surrounding area and turned back to the Doctor. “There’s no reason. We’re in a valley. The water should run off the mountains into this valley unless it’s being diverted somewhere.”

“It’s not being diverted. I checked the satellite imagery. There’s nothing, no swales, levees, dams, tunnels or anything that could divert that much water,” the Doctor said.

“Well, it can’t just evaporate that fast? Can it, Doctor?” Rose asked.

“You’re right. It can’t, at least not on Earth. That means something or someone is interfering here.”

“Don’t tell me. It’s the dragon, right?” Jake asked, wary of the Doctor‘s answer.

“Maybe,” the Doctor told him. “Let’s keep looking. If the dragon, which the locals call the Hadry, is nearby, it’ll more than likely keep to a cave or a crevice in the mountain. So keep sharp. Wouldn‘t want to trip and get eaten.”

“Please, let’s not get eaten today” Jake said, eyes darting around as they walked. 

Rose watched the Doctor's jaw clench as he noticed Jake did not come hiking without a little protection, Torchwood style. Not that Jake brandished his side arm in full view. He kept it holstered beneath his jacket. Rose knew it was a comfort to Jake to know it was there, even if he did have to unzip his coat to get to it.

She squeezed the Doctor's hand as they trekked around the lake. Rose and Jake scoped the rocky terrain for a cave while the Doctor took more readings with his sonic. At one point, the Doctor knelt close to the ground poking at some rocks.

“Doctor, did you find something?”

The Doctor picked up a rock and licked it. Rose frowned and shuddered. “I thought we talked about licking stuff. You’re part human now. You could make yourself sick doing that,” Rose admonished him.

“Definitely an abundance of sodium chloride," the Doctor mentioned. "That much shouldn’t be here.” He joined Rose and stared at the rock formations and hills. “Let’s keep going.”

As they continued walking up the through the rocky area to a higher elevation, they heard rocks falling down not far from them. Rose looked up warily but never saw anything. Soon their trek came to a halt when their path was blocked by a landslide.

Rose shifted her pack and sighed.

“Come on Rose Tyler, you’re not going to let a little rock slide slow you down!” The Doctor said with enthusiasm as both Jake an Rose glared at him.

He climbed over the boulders and rocks blocking their path and grinned at them. Rose left Jake behind and followed him. She almost ran into him when he suddenly stopped on top of another boulder. Rose peeked around him and saw what had captivated his attention. About ten meters in front of them was a dark gaping crevice in the mountainside. The Doctor turned to Rose, “Ha, I was right, a crevice!” He slowly made his way down the other side of the fallen rocks.

“Doctor, if we have to make a quick escape, won’t we be in trouble? Shouldn’t we get Jake?”

He just looked at her and grinned and kept moving forward. “Of course not,” she muttered. “That would spoil the fun of almost dying.”

They crept up to the dark crevice which was about eight meters tall and five meters wide. A pungent, musty odor wafted from the blackness. They could hear the sound of rocks falling and something else. It took a while before Rose could identify it. It was like the vibration a washing machine made on the spin cycle.

“Doctor,” she whispered. 

He held up his hand and pressed himself to the rock face near the crevice. He slid low to the ground slowly leaning closer to the opening and inhale. Rose followed him her eyes never leaving the dark fissure terrified at any moment a supernatural serpent would make a quick meal of her Doctor. Finally, he leaned back into her, his eyes filled with anticipation. Before he could say anything, Rose was overcome a body shaking chill and a feeling of dread. She grabbed his arm and yanked him as she ran back to the rock slide.

He tried to stop her, but she was having none of it. She pulled him with more strength than she ever knew she had and they tumbled down the other side of the pile of rocks. Just as he was about to ask her what was wrong, they heard a sheep bleating and then a pitched, squealing noise. They both covered their ears from the jarring noise as the vibrations from it caused more rocks to tumble down the mountain. It stopped as suddenly as it started. The next thing they knew, a bloody sheep’s leg fell from the air and landed in front of them with a splat. They looked at each other splashed with the sheep’s blood and took off running as fast as they could and didn’t stop until they ran into Jake.

“What happened to you! Are you hurt?” Jake demanded.

“Nothing, just run. Run now!” the Doctor shouted out at him, as he grabbed Rose’s hand and took off not even looking back to make sure Jake followed them. After running all out for twenty minutes, they all collapsed to catch their breaths.

“What the hell happened back there!” Jake demanded, gasping for breath. He looked back toward Lake Faol.

“We found the dragon, Jake,” the Doctor proclaimed, on his knees gulping air.

“What! You went in there unarmed and didn’t call for back up!” Rose, you know better than that." 

“Wasn’t like that, Jake. When we climbed over the landslide, we found a crevice. As soon as we got close to it, I dunno, everything went wrong,” Rose explained.

“Rose, how did you know?” the Doctor asked her.

“What do you mean how did she know?" Jake shouted and then quieted as he looked upward. "Maybe this isn’t the best place to discuss this.” His hands twitched as he played with the zipper on his coat.

“Jake’s right. Let’s get going,” the Doctor agreed. As they hiked back to town, the Doctor stared at Rose. 

“Rose, how did you know to run when we did?” Rose shrugged.

“I had a bad feeling is all.”

“I see." He nodded his head and then shook it. "No, no I don’t. Could you explain it a bit more,” he asked her, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I just knew we had to run. Something was wrong. I sort of knew if we stayed, something bad would happen.”

“So what did happen?" Jake asked. "All I know is you two ran up to me like the hounds of hell were after you and you were covered in blood." Jake paused looking at them. "Uh, you still are you know. Come to think of it, you should clean up before we reach town.”

Before they reached the main trail, the Doctor and rose used some bottled water to clean themselves off a bit. When they reached the cabin, Jake ordered dinner to be delivered while the Doctor and Rose shared a shower. Over dinner, they decided to head back to the cave with more equipment.

That night, Rose couldn’t sleep and wandered outside the cabin.

“Rose, you don’t have to go back tomorrow.” the Doctor told her softly, as he followed her out of the cabin.

She turned to him, “Of course I’m going back tomorrow. I’m not letting you go in there alone.”

“I won’t be alone, I’ll have Jake.”

“No, we’re meant to do this together," she said firmly. "I won’t lie. I don’t like it. Being near that thing gives me such an awful feeling,” Her voice cracked. “Don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve faced worse things.”

“Yeah, because we creep into dark holes in the Scottish Highlands where a dragon dwells that has a history of eating cattle and people all the time,” the Doctor said and wrapped a scarf around her neck.

“No, it’s more than that, Doctor. It’s like I felt something that scared me deep down.”

“Ohhhh I am so thick!" He thumped the side of his head. "Something in the area is putting out a psychic warning! This place is rife with legends about mystical beings. Before we came here, I read a few stories about druid activity in the area. Perhaps, we ran across a good old druid warning system.”

“But if that’s it, why me and not you?”

“You’re more open to it. Remember, you’re barriers are not as tight as mine. In other words, you leaked. Also, might be why we had the bad wolf incident at the weather station.”

“Great. There’s psychic stuff leaking into my brain and its triggering some of the bad wolf thing buried inside of me,” Rose moaned and leaned into him.

“Oh, it’s not so bad. Probably saved us from injury today. Tomorrow we’re just going to have a good look at our friendly Hadry.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

“Doctor, I don’t think it’s so friendly.”

“Why, cause we got in the way of its supper? Come now, Rose, you interrupt any animal from its meal and it’ll be cross. Just look at Jackie.”

“Doctor!”

“What! You know it’s true,” he told her, grinning.

“She’s my mum! Be nice!”

“I’m always nice to Jackie. Now then, let’s go to bed. Somehow, I think tomorrow’s gonna be a big day.”

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose awakened the next morning to sound of her mobile ringing. “Yeah?" she mumbled whilst trying to squelch a yawn. "Oh, Mandy, hi! How’re things? You did? Really?”

The Doctor heard Rose talking and wandered into the bedroom and was practically bouncing to hear what Mandy found. “Rose, put her on speaker,” he pleaded.

“Just a mo, Mandy, I’m gonna put you on speaker so the Doctor can hear.”

“Good morning, Doctor!”

“Hello, Mandy! Tell me you found something interesting about our dragon.”

“Malcolm and I were reviewing some more of the monastery’s records when we found a story about a water spirit, the wakcexi. It can transform itself into any form it chooses and it’s not uncommon for it to be a serpent of some kind. What if your dragon is a water spirit?”

“Oh, that’s clever!" the Doctor agreed. "But why take the water from the lake and why doesn’t it change back?” He began to pace the length of the room.

“What if it can’t?” asked Rose.

“The text says they don’t stay in that form forever,” Mandy added.

“So the lake water turned into the dragon and it‘s absorbing all the moisture in the area?” Rose asked.

“Oh that is beyond brilliant!” the Doctor shouted.

“So how do you make it turn back?” asked Mandy.

“Well if it’s like a hydra, only one way,” the Doctor replied.

“Oh, that sounds a bit nasty," Mandy admitted. "Maybe I should go back and research some more. I’ll discuss it with Malcolm and see if he has a suggestion.”

“Thanks, Mandy. Let us know what you find out. Bye.” Rose turned and looked at the Doctor. “So, guess we’re back to hacking off heads then.”

“Hacking off heads?” Jake asked from the doorway. “How did we get from a dragon to cutting off its bloomin’ heads? How do we even do that?”

“Jakey, my boy, allow me to tell you the heroic tale of Hercules and the Hydra.” The Doctor slapped him on the back and led him back to the kitchen area.

While the Doctor explained the Hydra mythology to Jake, Rose rolled out of bed to prepare for a day of running. She met the boys outside already kitted out for facing the Hadry. They quickly made their way back to Lake Faol with little to no chatting along the way. Once they reached the lake, they found the equipment they left behind was scattered and some of it shattered beyond repair.

“I don’t think the Hadry likes us bein here,” commented Jake, while picking up a broken scanner.

“No worries. We have all we need with us." The Doctor patted his pocket. "Let’s set up over on that ridge.” the Doctor pointed to a ridge on his right.

Once geared up, the Doctor pulled out some binoculars which he had modified the night before so that they could zoom in and magnify images with great clarity. He scouted the area, stopping and zooming in on certain spots periodically.

“Well, there’s definitely signs that it likes that crevice we found yesterday. I think it won’t take much to flush it out of the cave.”

“So we flush out and then what?” asked Rose.

The Doctor tugged at his ear and fidgeted before answering her. “Wellll, we need to figure out which head is the mortal one.”

“How do we do that and even if we can, then what?” Jake asked nervously, playing with the thermodynamic kinetic harmonizer or the TKH as Rose liked to call it.

“Uh Jake, make sure you have the safety on that thing. I’m sure Malcolm did a stellar job designing it, but I’ve never actually tested it.”

Jake set it down as far away from him as possible. “Doctor, you haven’t answered my question.”

Just then, Rose’s mobile rang. “Malcolm! Let me put you on speaker.”

“Yes, well, hello! Mandy and I spent the night combing through the monk’s records and well, it seems there may be something in there to help you.” Rose winked at the Doctor smiling brightly at the thought of Malcolm and Mandy spending the night researching together.

“The legend says that all its heads look alike, but the higher brain functions, thought process, movement and perception of stimulus, appears to be in the mortal head. Nothing indicates an ability at reasoning or communication I’m afraid. There are also several sections discussing the water spirit being summoned by a vengeful villager whose daughter was accused of sorcery and put to death.”

“You mean she summoned the water spirit to punish the villagers?” Rose asked.

“Well, yes, I suppose you could say that,” Malcolm replied.

“Right, so in summary, we have a vengeful water spirit masquerading as a multi-headed dragon intent on punishing a village for a murder that happened centuries ago," the Doctor summarized. "Usually these kind of curses have a trigger to them. Something that starts them or ends them. Anything Malcolm?” the Doctor asked.

“Doctor, Hello, I think I might have found more while you were chatting with Malcolm." Mandy's voice was bubbling with enthusiasm. "It says the curse is to punish the townspeople and their descendants. Maybe that means the curse is ongoing until the last descendant of the original villagers dies?” Mandy wondered.

“Oh, now that is a problem. Fort William is filled with descendants from the original village.” The Doctor scrubbed at his face.

“So this thing isn’t just going to go away on it’s own," Jake stated. "We’re going to have to kill it and the only way is to cut off it’s mortal head. That means, we have to start hacking heads until we get to the right one,” Jake conntinued.

The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m afraid so.”

“Anything else, Malcolm, Mandy?” Rose asked.

“I’m afraid that’s it. We’ll keep reviewing the records and call you if we find anything more,” Malcolm told them.

“Thanks Malcolm, just let us know.” Rose disconnected the call and looked expectantly at the Doctor.

“Well then, if it’s any consolation it’s not like we’re really killing it," the Doctor said, his voice indicating this was not his preferred choice. "I suppose this is more like releasing the water spirit from its obligation.”

“So you’re saying once we cut off the heads, this thing will turn back into water?” Rose asked, peering out across the landscape.

“Oh, something like that.” the Doctor answered, vaguely.

“Do we have to lure it to the lake bed then?” Jake asked.

“I think if we can get it close the lake bed, it should do. Course, the luring part might be a bit tricky,” the Doctor admitted.

“So we’re the bait aren’t we?” Rose nervously rubbed her hands against the front of her jeans.

“No, I’m the bait. You and Jake will already be here waiting for it.” Rose stilled and her eyes narrowed at the Doctor.

“I don’t think so! I’m not just sitting around here while some vengeful dragon, water spirit or whatever eats you!”

Suddenly, Jake let out a shrill whistle. “Oi, both of you, quiet! I might have a better plan.” Jake's plan wasn’t perfect but it would minimize anyone being chased long distances by the Hadry. They all geared up with what they would need. Jake saluted the Doctor, who rolled his eyes at him. Rose ran up and hugged Jake and took the Doctor’s hand and walked toward the Hadry den.

“You sure you want to do this?” the Doctor asked her, quietly.

“I’ll be fine. Just you remember to not let it eat you. I want you in one piece after this,” Rose told him, and threw her arms around him and held him tightly to her before turning and snogging him until they both had to step back to take a breath.

“Really do miss the respiratory bypass,” he teased her.

She smiled and kissed him one more time before she left to take up her position. The Doctor found a spot that gave him a straight path to an area near where Jake was hiding with the thermodynamic kinetic harmonizer, the TKH; or as Rose and Jake liked to call it, a posh high tech flame thrower. Once he led the Hadry to Jake, he would use the TKH and begin to shoot at the heads. The TKH was designed to excite the molecules into a superheated state which would essentially burn the head off. The Doctor hoped this would work. Since the creature was a water spirit, he was concerned of the effectiveness of the device and knew he may need to make last minute adjustments.

Rose made her way up a rocky outcrop and ducked down until she could see the crevice opposite her. She pulled out the flare gun and propped it against a rock in front of her to steady her aim. She tapped her earpiece and asked Jake if he and the Doctor were ready. He confirmed. Rose took a deep breath and slowly pulled the trigger of the flare gun. She watched the first flare fly into the crevice. There was a bright flash illuminating the dark interior. Nothing happened. She reloaded the flare and decided she needed to be closer. She crept to a position closer to the entrance and knelt behind a boulder. Again she took aim and squeezed the trigger.

This flare made it deeper into the Hadry’s lair and there was another flash. This time, Rose heard a piercing squealing noise which felt like it was drilling into her brain. The vibration caused by the Hadry‘s squealing caused small rocks to fall all around her from the mountainside. She opened her squinted eyes and saw it emerge from the cave in all its horrific glory.

Frozen in fear as she took, her heart slammed in her chest as she saw the creature. It was about six meters long and stood four meters high and had a body that was very reptilian-like with mottled blackish-green color to its scaly skin. It was bipedal with clawed feet and a long tail. It had a long thick neck which split into five smaller necks ending in very dragon-like heads. They were all hissing and had red snake like tongues and each with two yellow eyes. They were all moving in what looked like a random pattern until one let out a shriek and it started moving toward Rose. She hunched down and scooted back into a small crevice in the rocky outcropping. She watched it loom up over the boulder she had been hiding behind. She was almost overcome by the musty, wet smell, like decaying flesh. With shaky hands, she reloaded the flare gun and prayed her aim was good enough.


	17. Battling a Dragon is Not the Same as Facing Jackie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Hadry has Rose cornered. How will she escape? What will happen to the Doctor and Jake? Will they accomplish the task of restoring the lake? Will Jackie ever get to plan their wedding?

Rose fired the flare gun at one of the heads and turned away curling up into a ball in the crevice. Another ear piercing scream caused more rocks and clumps of soil to fall around her.  
Its giant tail slapping against the ground shaking Rose and everything around her. The scent of burning caused her to gag. She pulled tightly into herself and kept thinking “don’t see me.” She knew that even with one head burning it was still moving toward her. When she opened her eyes next, she saw that something had captured its attention and it was moving away. The Doctor. She reached up and touched her ear piece. “Jake,” she said, in a shaky voice. “It’s heading toward the Doctor.”

“Gotcha, Rose. You all right?”

“I dunno, I think so. Jake, it’s big. Be careful. I’ll head your way as soon as I can dig out. I’m a bit buried.”

“Be safe, Rose.”

“Yeah, you too, and Jake, keep him safe.”

The Doctor paced back and forth waiting for some sign of the Hadry. Nothing moved. Even the air was still. It was wrong. Then a subtle vibration danced across the mountains and ground leaving rocks trembling and tumbling. The vibration became an ear piercing squealing that brought him to his knees. When the sound diminished, the Doctor stood up and stared in the direction where he knew Rose was hiding. That’s when he saw the flash of the flare gun followed by acrid scent of burning flesh. He pulled out his sonic, aimed it high and pulsed it at a frequency he hoped would catch the Hadry's attention. 

The Doctor felt the Hadry before he saw it. The stillness that was worrying him was gone. The Hadry, still smoldering from the flare gun, headed toward his sonic pulse. He took a few steps back still pulsing the sonic. It moved much faster than he anticipate. He froze in awe at the sheer size of it. As it drew closer and screeched, he snapped out of his infatuation and started to run toward Jake. He choked on flying Dust and debris flying everywhere as the Hadry drew closer and closer to him. He continued to run now as fast as he could still pulsing the sonic as he turned toward the lake bed where Jake was waiting.

He jumped into the lake bed and raced toward a place where he could hide while Jake attacked the Hadry. The Doctor hated the thought of the violent act. He knew Jake was a superior marksman and just hoped it wouldn’t take too many shots to destroy it and release the water spirit. It was close behind him when Jake took the first shot. 

It screamed and stopped at the edge of the lake bed turning toward Jake. Jake fired again and missed. The Doctor peered out from behind a boulder and could see that one head was a burning stump and another was damaged. Jake fired again and the damaged, smoldering head was destroyed, that left three more. The Hadry charged the area of the ridge where Jake was hiding. Rocks cracked and fell. Dust and dirt fell on Jake. The air clouded with it.

The Doctor couldn't stand still. He had to do something or they all would die there. Stepping out of his hiding spot, he pulsed the sonic. The Hadry turned toward him. Bloody and snarling it thrashed it's tale before charging toward the Doctor. 

"Okkkaaay, not my best plan." Doctor backed further into the lake as he planned his next moe. Suddenly, a thump thump thump echoed. The Doctor looked up to see a black helicopter bearing down on the Hadry firing at it.

“No!” he shouted. He saw the Torchwood logo on the side of the helicopter as it circled around firing at the Hadry. The distraction of the Doctor and Torchwood gave Jake enough time to take position and fire another round hitting another two heads. It fell to the ground writhing while the helicopter hovered over it. The Doctorslowly walked up to the fallen beast.

“I’m so sorry,” he told it, before pulling out the laser pen he had taken from Abbie the estate agent oh so long ago, and neatly sliced off the remaining head. As the body thrashed and blood spurted, a terrible rumbling sounded. The body inflated and expanded. The Doctor carefully grabbed the mortal head and ran from the lake bed, fearing if he left the untransformed head behind, it would poison the lake. He dropped the head, stood back on shore and watched as the body bloated until it reached an impossible enormous size, changing colors from blackish green to bluish silver dissolving and liquefying filling the lakebed. Dark clouds filled the air and thunder rumbled as a light rain began to fall.

“Doctor!” Rose shouted, racing up to him.

He turned catching her in his arms. He held her tight and swung her around in relief. Jake raced down to them.

“You two okay? Are you hurt?”

“We’re fine other than uninvited guests," the Doctor snapped. "Jake, do I have you to thank for the very near catastrophe today?” he asked, in a tight voice.

“Catastrophe? Doctor, we needed help," Jake retorted. "You and I would probably be dead now if they hadn‘t been here.”

“What if the Hadry leapt up and attacked the helicopter? What it ran down the mountain toward the town or they shot at the heads instead of burning them? They could have made it worse!”

“No, I told them not to aim for the heads. They knew the consequences. I had them on standby in case of an emergency. When I saw that thing chasing after you, I called them.” Jake gruffly responded, walking up close to the Doctor until they were face to face. “What if I’d missed? What if I’d been crushed in the landslide or the TKH was damaged? You said it yourself, the TKH was untested. What then? You might be willing to risk your life and Rose’s life, but I wasn’t. I won’t apologize for it.” Jake shouted at him.

“Stop it, both of you!” Rose stood in between them with tears running down her face. “It’s done. This is what we came here for regardless as to who did what. Doesn’t matter now. Doctor, Jake did what he felt he had to do to keep everyone safe. You can’t be mad at him because he wanted us to be safe!”

“He could have made things worse!” The Doctor repeated with gritted teeth.

“He didn’t. That’s not what happened," Rose responded, leveling an angry gaze at him. "You have to learn to let people help you, Doctor. Whether you know it or not, people care about you.” Rose turned and walked away from him with Jake following her asking if she was all right.

Pulse pounding in his ears, the Doctor stared at both of them as they walked away. He turned toward the lake his anger ebbing. He inhaled deeply and looked up into the sky hoping the cascading droplets of rain would wash away the tumultuous emotions coursing inside of him. When he had calmed, he looked down at the mortal head. He knew it was dangerous. He reached in his pocket for some containers to take samples of its blood before decomposition set in. Just as he was about to pick it up to carry it back to Rose and Jake, two Torchwood agents approached him with a container.

“Doctor, we’ll take care of securing the remains. Ms. Tyler and Agent Simmonds are being seen to by medical.” One of the agents wrapped a blanket around him. “You’re bleeding, sir. We should get a medic to take a look at it.”

The Doctor knew he had some cuts and scrapes but didn’t think about what he must look like. He thought about arguing with them, but knew Rose would be waiting. He realized he’d never taken the time to really make sure she was unharmed. Rubbing a hand across his face to clear away any dirt and blood, he walked over toward the helicopter.

Rose and Jake sat inside wrapped in blankets with plasters over some of the worst of the cuts. The Doctor sat down next to Rose as a medic came up to treat his cuts.

“It’s nothing, just a few scrapes,” he assured the medic.

“Yes, sir, but we need to get it cleaned up. We don’t know if the creature carried any bacteria or contagions which might be dangerous.”

The Doctor nodded. Even though he was sure his biology would not be affected by anything the Hadry may have carried, with the exception of it’s blood, which if it followed the Hercules legend, would be dangerous. He looked over at Rose who was staring down at a bottle of water in her hands.

“Rose, I… Well, I’m sorry,” he said softly, while the medic worked on him.

“Not me you should apologize to,” she answered, quietly.

The Doctor sighed. “Jake, I’m not used to relying on anyone else. I'm sorry I was a bit of a git."

"A bit?" Rose arched a brow at this." 

The Doctor eyed her before continuing. "Anyway, I know you called Torchwood because you wanted us safe. I may never get used to the idea of allowing them to help. But I’ll try and do better.”

Jake nodded. “Apology accepted, provided, that is, I get an invitation to the wedding.”

Rose stiffened and turned to Jake, incredulous that he just said that in front of all the Torchwood agents. This would spread like wildfire throughout Torchwood. Jake just grinned at her and then winked. The medics told them to get strapped in as they were taking them back to Fort Williams while the rest of the Torchwood team cleaned up there. When they landed in Fort Williams, a crowd of townspeople gathered watching them disembark and head back to the cabin. One person shouted out “Is it true? Is the lake back?”

The Doctor turned to them smiled and gave them a thumbs up. After they got back to the cabin, Rose went immediately to shower while Jake and the Doctor sat in the main space. Jake filled two glasses from a bottle of Ben Nevis whiskey.

“To livin’ to see another day,” Jake toasted.

“To life, to Rose,” the Doctor responded, clinking his glass against Jake’s.

Rose came out of the bathroom wrapped up in a fluffy white robe to find Jake and the Doctor sitting back and on their way to being well and truly sloshed on Scottish whiskey. She leaned against the door frame and smiled. He may be an alien but he still seemed fall into typical bloke behavior, solving a problem over a drink with a friend.

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you two in the morning, I’m knackered.”

“Rose, stay and have a nip with us,” Jake slurred.

“Thanks, but I’m about to drop. I’ll see ya in the morning.” Rose left the two of them telling tall tells and curled down in the bed. She woke up in the night to the Doctor snuggling up to her, his face next to hers. He reached over and tucked some hair behind her ear. 

“I know today was difficult. Each of these tasks will be difficult in their own unique way. I was frightened for you today. I allowed myself to be overcome by fear and anger and lashed out. I can do better. Please, give me a chance. I don’t want to lose you in the process of completing these tasks,” he said with tears in his eyes.

She smiled softly, caressed his cheek and ran her hand through his hair. “Everyone has a bad day. I know this has been difficult for you. You’re stronger than you think. You have friends and family and we all love you. I’m never gonna leave you.” She kissed him and slowly each article of clothing he wore was removed. She dropped the robe to the floor. They lay on the bed bathed only in moonlight their limbs entangled moving with each other in a rhythm all their own. 

“How long are you gonna stay with me,” he gasped.

“Forever,” she promised.

They lay sated in each other’s arms drifting off to sleep as the moon descended over the horizon. The next morning, they awoke refreshed and ready to pack up and return home. They took one last trip to the lake and found it teaming with people and reporters. Torchwood had finished removing equipment and anything they deemed dangerous and word traveled quickly about the miracle at Lake Faol. They tried to skirt the crowd and not draw attention but unfortunately, they were recognized.

“Ms. Tyler!” one reporter shouted out, only to be followed by several more.

Soon, they were surrounded by the press demanding a statement. A few Torchwood agents stepped forward and formed a protective circle around them. Rose smiled and moved to the front. She knew if she didn’t give them something, they would be hounded back to London.

“Ms. Tyler can you tell us what happened here? There are rumors of a dragon. Are they true?”

“We only came here for a scientific investigation of the lake.”

“But what happened? This lake has been empty for centuries. Is this some Torchwood experiment?”

“Experiment. No. Like I said it’s only an investigation,” she replied with a soft smile.

“Sorry, what’s your name?” the Doctor asked the reporter.

“Finn Roberts, London Prime News.”

“Yes, well Finn, this lake is fed by a spring along with thawing ice. The lake you see before you is the result of a slight change in the geology of the area. When we arrived, we recorded vibrations. These vibrations have been causing tiny changes in the sub strata here which we believe may have plugged the spring centuries ago and shifted the local runoff from the mountains. We visited the weather station on the top of Ben Nevis before arriving here and could see signs of it in the building collapse. We performed some minor sonic testing in the ground which when combined with the vibrations already present, caused a shift. As you can see, the lake is now full and should thrive.”

“What about the reports of a Dragon and exactly what kind of dangerous sonic testing is Torchwood performing?”

Rose stepped forward “Mr. Roberts, Torchwood follows all safety protocol regarding any type of geologic testing of any area. Sonic testing is merely testing sound waves bouncing off the various strata of the subsurface. If you do some research, you’ll find this technique is used by other agencies world wide. Like the Doctor said, combined with natural occurring vibrations in the earth here, it had the helpful effect of unplugging the spring.”

“Ms. Tyler what about the rumors that you and your Doctor are getting married? Have you set a date?”

Rose’s face paled and all she could think about was how she was going to kill Jake. Before she could think of how to respond, a member of Torchwood PR showed up and took over so she and the Doctor could escape.

On the zeppelin back to London as Rose tapped out her report on the events at Lake Faol she periodically stared daggers at Jake. He hid behind the screen of his own laptop. The Doctor, once again, was pacing up and down the length of the cabin. He stopped and sat by Rose occasionally adding details to her report until he became bored and once again started pacing or playing with some object he found lying around. 

As the zeppelin reached London and Rose was repacking her things, the intercom was turned on and a wedding march played. Several Torchwood agents starting laughing and someone threw some flowers at Rose. Jake decided he should be elsewhere and snapped his laptop shut and moved to the back of the zeppelin. The Doctor bounced back to her and asked where she got the flowers. She turned around and glared at the grinning faces of the Torchwood agents who all suddenly turned, and looked in another direction.

They disembarked and were met by a car Pete had sent for them. The driver told them he was taking them to the Tyler residence. Rose groaned.

“Do we have to?” the Doctor whined.

“Looks that way,” Rose said, not entirely happy herself.

When they arrived, Jackie greeted them at the door.

“Oh, noooo!” Rose groaned.

“Rose, uh, she looks entirely too happy. Maybe you should go in first,” the Doctor told her, nervously.

“Me. You want me to go in first?" Her voice pitched up. "You’re ready to run off and be bait for a dragon but I have to be the one to face my wedding crazy mum!”

“Well, she is your mum.”

“Fine,” she sighed.

“Mum! What’s all the fuss about?” Rose asked her, playing dumb.

“Fuss? Well it’s all over the news. I should be cross with you for not telling me first! You had your mobile didn’t you? Couldn’t just ring your mum could you! No, I had to hear first on the news.”

“Hear what?” Rose asked, innocently.

Jackie put her hands on her hips and gave her the look. “You and the Doctor announcing your engagement, of course.”

“But Mum, we’re not engaged.”

“Well every newspaper says you are.”

“Well then, they’re wrong. We’ll just have to fix it.”

“Why? It’s not like the two of you’re never getting married. By the way, where is himself?”

“Umm, in the car.”

“Well tell him to get his skinny backside in here. We’re celebrating!” With that pronouncement, Jackie marched into the house. Rose sighed and turned to the car.

“Doctor, don’t think you can stay in the car and avoid this. You have to come out eventually.”

He opened the door and stuck his head out. “Is she gone? Is it safe?”

“Love, it may never be safe again. She’s completely bonkers over this wedding thing. Won’t even listen to me. We may have to try and appeal to Pete and see if he can help.”

The Doctor wrinkled his nose in distaste and they walked inside. After the door was closed, Jackie walked up to him and embraced him in a huge hug and laid a sloppy kiss on his mouth.

“Welcome to the family, sweetheart! At last, we get to make it official. Now then, come along, cook’s made a special meal in celebration.”

The Doctor was vigorously wiping his mouth and face off with his sleeve horrified at being branded by the Tyler matriarch’s seal of approval.

“Rose, do something!” he asked in terror.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh, please! There are worse things. I’ll talk to Pete. Just don’t egg her on.”

After dinner, Rose and the Doctor sat with Pete in his study to discuss the events at Lake Faol. Rose felt exhaustion creeping up once again due to Jackie‘s unbridled focus on wedding plans and insistence on choosing a date. The fact that they were injured also did not escape Jackie’s keen observation. Pete handed both of them a glass of cognac and leaned against his desk.

“So, a dragon?”

“Yep,” the Doctor answered.

“That was quite an explanation you gave to the press, Doctor. I appreciate your resourcefulness. Course, they didn’t understand half of it and decided to write whatever they wanted. Torchwood PR has done their best to smooth things over. The locals in the town appear so grateful, they’ve refused to comment and seem to just want the press gone.”

“Yeah, they’re real private there.” Rose answered.

“So, you want to tell me where all this wedding talk came from?”

Rose looked up at him. “Blame Mum. Well, Mum and Jake.”

“Right, and how is this Jackie’s fault?” Pete asked.

“Well, she gave me all those wedding magazines and made me promise to read ’em and then Jake saw and had to make a comment in front of Torchwood agents. Well, you can guess what happened next,” Rose answered, leaning back against the couch next to the Doctor.

“Uh huh. So, you getting married then?”

The Doctor sat up and looked at Pete. “Maybe, some day when we’re ready. I refuse to allow Jackie to coerce us into a marriage so she can satisfy some insane need to plan a wedding. You’ve got to help us Pete.”

Pete sighed and chuckled. “All right. I’ll see what I can do, but you may have to concede a few points.”

“What do you mean Pete?” Rose asked, interested in what he had in mind.

“There’s a charity dinner next week. I think it might help if you and the Doctor agree to attend.”

The Doctor scowled. “I suppose this means a social event requiring, formal attire and dancing.”

“Shall I help Jackie book a reception hall?” Pete asked, smiling, swirling his glass of cognac with a glint in his eyes.

“No, Pete, we’ll be there. Just tell us where and when,” Rose said and shoved the Doctor's shoulder.

“That’s the spirit!” Pete held up his drink in a toast.

On their way out the door the next morning, Jackie told Rose all about the charity dinner and described what she was wearing and offered to pick a dress out for Rose. The Doctor, who had done his best to avoid Jackie all morning, tried to sneak by into the car which had been brought over from Torchwood. Jackie grabbed his arm.

“Hold up. You can’t just sneak out of here. Now see here, Pete explained how you have some alien custom of waiting a year before announcing an intent to marry. Honestly, why couldn’t you just tell me that?”

The Doctor looked over to Pete, who winked at him.

Rose walked up to the Doctor and put her arm through his. “Mum, the Doctor’s culture is just as important as ours. It’s difficult for him to explain. We’ll talk about wedding stuff when he’s ready. We really should be off, I’ll call you about the dinner next week.”

Rose kissed Jackie distracting her so the Doctor could climb into the car. As they drove back to Dutton Manor, Rose told the Doctor a little about the charity event which benefited autism research at United Hope Hospital. Luckily, they already had a tux for him so all they really needed was a dress for her. Pulling up to Dutton Manor filled both of them with a sense of peace. It was good for them to be home.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The week before the charity dinner was filled with working with Perry in the TARDIS garden and Rose’s continual project of making the manor homey. They left the morning of the charity dinner so that they could dress at the Tyler house and ride to dinner with Pete and Jackie.

“So, Doctor, you haven’t mentioned the next task,” Rose mentioned, as they sped toward London.

“Thought you might want a break from the whole Eternal business.”

“Yeah, well this week has been nice and all but, I know we still have a lot to do. So, what’s next?”

“The golden hind of Artemis.”

“The what? What’s a hind?” 

“Well Hercules was tasked with capturing the golden hind, a kind of deer that was a beloved animal of the goddess Artemis. There’s some variation as to what happened but generally, the golden hind was said to be so fast it could outrun an arrow and Hercules was expected to capture it and deliver it to King Eurystheus. To make it more complicated, if he captured it, he risked angering Artemis and angering a goddess is never a good thing.”

“So how did he do it?”

“Well, some say he captured it while it was asleep and others say he rendered it lame with a trap net. Either way, he begged forgiveness from Artemis and explained why he had to do it. Hercules being a bit clever, delivered the hind to Eurystheus and released it in front of him. After all, the task was only to deliver it. Wasn’t his fault if Eurystheus and his lot were too slow to take the hind.”

“Oh I like that story! I take it there’s no golden hind here. So what do we have to do?” Rose watched him expectantly

“You’re right. We have to capture an Amber Cerva which is on the planet Crescere.”

“We have to hitch another ride?” Rose said, sounding disappointed.

“Well, yes but I think I may have that handled.”

“Handled how?” Rose felt her stomach clench at the careless way he said handled

“Well, I've been having a bit of a long-distance chat session with a fellow scientist. You know I’ve been working on the communications systems with the TCB in preparation for our new Tardis and I was monitoring intergalactic signals. Professor Tok had left a sort of blog asking for an opinion on a problem with a Laosian quadratasic modulator. I, of course, responded. I mentioned to him the other day that we might need a lift off world and he agreed to give us hand.” 

“And you were going to tell me when?” Rose narrowed her eyes at him. 

“Uh, after the party tonight? Thought we might leave in the next day or so. We only have about a week to capture the Cerva and deliver it to the monument to Vanity on Crescere.” 

“A little warning might be nice," Rose quipped. "So all this happens on Crescere? Sounds easy enough. So I take it this Cerva will be hard to find?”

“Nope! But it will be hard to convince the owner of the preserve it’s on to let us borrow it for a bit.” 

“Fantastic,” Rose answered sarcastically. 

That evening, Jackie and Pete were downstairs waiting on the Doctor and Rose. Jackie was fixing her make up in a mirror when they came down the stairs. Jackie looked up at them and was teary-eyed. “Oh Rose, you both look lovely!” she exclaimed. 

Rose and the doctor came downstairs with Rose dressed in a sapphire blue full length one shouldered gown with a slit up one side. Her hair was in an intricate chignon and the only jewelry she wore was diamond and sapphire earrings and a diamond bracelet. The Doctor wore a black tux with sapphire cufflinks and his brand new white trainers. 

dwdwdwdwdwdwdw 

They four arrived at the dinner and made their way past the paparazzi smiling at the flashing cameras as they entered the venue. They could hear the live music before they walked into the main hall. They were seated at dinner with Minister Tibbs and his wife Vivian as well as some wealthy business acquaintances of Pete’s. It was a typical boring dinner party for Rose and the Doctor who was itching to leave as soon as they could, especially when he learned dessert was wine poached pears. 

“Rose,” he whispered to her. “Can we please take off before they place that disgusting concoction in front of me. Honestly, for people who want to raise money for charity, you’d think they’d feed us something a little less revolting.” 

“We can’t. Not yet. Just don’t look at it.” 

“Look at it! I can smell it! If we don’t leave now, I can’t guarantee I won’t regurgitate when they begin passing it around. I am shuddering at the thought now.” He sniffed and winced. 

Rose stared at him and then smiled sweetly and turned to the others at the table. “Would you excuse us, the Doctor asked me to dance.”

He looked at her in horror but got up with her. “Paybacks are hell, you little minx,” he whispered to her. As they danced a simple waltz, she looked around the room and almost tripped when she saw the Eternal, Turmoil smiling at her as he sipped a glass of champagne. 

“Doctor, we’ve got trouble,” Rose urgently whispered to him. 


	18. A Tango and A Familiar Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose are attending a charity dinner with Pete and Jackie. The Doctor just realized the dessert is going to be (gulp) wine poached pears! Rose drags him onto the dance floor to escape dessert. Everything is perfectly boring until one of those pesky Eternals shows up. The music for the tango scene is Por Una Cabeza which was played in the movies Scent of Woman and True Lies.

Previously: “Doctor, we’ve got trouble,” Rose urgently whispered to him.

“Trouble? Please tell me Jackie’s not about to cut in.”

“No! Eternal type trouble,” Rose answered him.

“Where?” he asked, looking around the room.

“Behind me to the left. It’s Turmoil. He’s wearing a white dinner jacket, black dress pants with a black bow tie drinking some champagne.”

“I don’t see him. Are you sure?” the Doctor asked, his brow wrinkling as he peered toward the buffet.

The music stopped, and Rose glared at him. Before either could say anything, the orchestra started playing Por Una Cabeza, and the dance floor emptied of all but a few dancers. Turmoil tapped Rose on the Shoulder and threw a red rose at the Doctor, which the Doctor caught in mid air.

“Tango with me, Wolf,” Turmoil demanded as he yanked Rose forcefully toward him. She grasped his shoulder with her left hand to steady herself as he held her right hand and raised it in a classic tango position with his other hand firmly on the small of her back. She dropped her left hand to just above his waist. Although Rose was a bit in shock, the dance lessons that Jackie made her take after they arrived in Pete‘s World kicked in. Who knew she would ever actually need to use the tango lesson?

The beat of the music pulsed as he whipped her around, leading her in one direction and daringly dipping her. “You know, wolf, I really enjoyed watching you with the Hadry. It was riveting to see you flush it out of its lair,” he whispered to her in a seductive growl. “Involving Torchwood was very interesting choice. It’s never dull with that group. They just love their toys, don’t they? I can’t wait to find out what they do with the Hadry head they confiscated. So many possibilities….”

Just as Turmoil spun her around into an extension, the Doctor appeared and grabbed her outstretched hand and wrenched her away from Turmoil toward him. She collided with his chest where he had tucked the red rose into his lapel and he grabbed her hand and waist to continue the tango. The tango with him was a far more intimate affair as the distance between their bodies was almost negligible. She gazed into his eyes as she slid her hand down his back and danced with him around the floor, gracefully kicking her leg around his, her gown flaring around them in another classic tango move.

“You all right, he whispered in her ear?”

“Can anyone tangoing with an Eternal be all right?”

“Did he say anything to you?”

“Yeah, he was admiring our work with the Hadry.”

“So he just thought he’d stop by and tango his admiration with you? Oh, I think that should be my privilege, don’t you?” he warmly breathed the words into her ear.

Rose bit her bottom lip as a sexy smile emerged. “Mmmm, so you like to let the tango do the talking, do ya.”

“I told you, I’ve danced. You know, someone once said life is like a tango: sad, sensual, sexy, violent and quiet.”

The Doctor deeply dipped Rose pulling her back against him as she wrapped one of her legs around his hip and slowly drew it down. His eyes darkened and with a sexy smirk on his face, he masterly guided her to the other side of the room with masculine grace and intricate leg work. He spun her out into an extension where Turmoil grabbed her hand pulled her back toward him.

“Possessive and controlling, isn’t he, Wolf. He has to learn to share.”

Turmoil grabbed her and twisted her around, dropping her part way to the floor and sliding her back up his body and twirling around until she was once again facing him. She arched her back and slid one leg slowly forward and pulled up straight as he led her further toward the center of the room in the classic tango form.

“What do you really want here? You didn’t just come here for a quick tango, did ya?” Rose asked.

He smiled and spun with her one more time his steps matching hers. “Thought you might like to know that although we’ve enjoyed watching you accomplish the first two tasks, things are about to get much more challenging. The rest won’t be quite so easy.”

Just as he twirled her around, the Doctor appeared and grabbed her hand slamming her back into his chest so they were face to face. He arched his back and commanded her forward with him looking over her shoulder and glaring at a laughing Turmoil. He looked back down into her eyes. The air between them practically sizzled with the physical manifestation of their desire.

“Did he say why he was here?” the Doctor asked in a rough, tight voice.

Rose throatily answered him, “Yeah, to warn us that the next tasks won’t be so easy.”

The Doctor dipped her and forcefully pulled her to him and twirled her one more time as he searched the room for Turmoil. Rose ran her hand up and down his back and looked over his shoulder to see Turmoil salute her and disappear into the crowd. As the music reached a crescendo the Doctor spun her into an extension and whipped her back to him where she wrapped her leg around his hip just as the music stopped. The stared at each other almost in shock over what had occurred on the dance floor and not just from the confrontation with the Eternal. Applause rang out from the crowd, and suddenly it dawned on them they were in public. Rose blushed a bit as she withdrew her leg from his hip, and they made they way back to the table.

“Well, that was, errr… entertaining,” Minister Tibbs said to them, and took a sip of his drink.

“Oh, I think they were splendid!” his wife, Vivian, commented. “Rose, you must tell me where you learned to dance like that.”

“Actually, Vivian, Rose and I took lessons together a few years ago," Jackie confided. "Course, I’ve never seen her dance like that with anyone before, much less two blokes. Didn’t even know himself there could dance,” Jackie said while staring at them with a speculative look.

“Yes, well, it certainly spiced up what would have been a rather tame fundraiser,” Pete commented, downing his snifter of cognac.

Rose and the Doctor were unusually quiet the rest of the night and the ride home with Pete and Jackie was filled with comments about dancing, formal events and “there’s a place and time for things.” The car barely stopped moving before Rose and the Doctor made a hasty exit and tore up the stairs to their room.

They left Pete and Jackie early the next morning with promises of returning for dinner soon.

“So, you going to contact Professor Tok when we get home and make arrangements for us to get to Crescere?” Rose asked as they sped home.

“Yep. Hoping he can pick us up before dawn tomorrow. It should only take about twenty-four standard earth hours to get to Crescere. Oh, and I promise you we will not be crammed in some miniscule vessel like a certain unmentionable alien did to us.”

“Before dawn?” Rose asked with an unhappy face, completely ignoring the Doctor’s criticism of the trip with Sabrina.

“Oi, it’s not my fault if you like to sleep your life away!” the Doctor exclaimed and sped up the car.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Before dawn the next day, Rose, the Doctor and Perry enjoyed tea in the garden. Rose was dressed casually in jeans and a hoody and was leaning against the Doctor with her head on his shoulder. The Doctor had on his long, tan coat and standard chocolate brown suit with blue pinstripes with his favorite trainers and was babbling exuberantly to Perry about the merits of adding some banana trees to the garden.

When the Doctor stopped to take a sip of tea, Rose told Perry again how much they appreciated him taking care of the house and the TCB while they went off world. “So, Perry, can we bring you back anything from Crescere?” Rose asked. Perry stilled directing a contemplative look at Rose. 

“Take care on Crescere. It is a place filled with great natural beauty but also illusion and deception. The chameleon blends in and becomes part of the environment, leading others to believe it’s something that it is not. There are things on Crescere that are not as amenable as the chameleon but just as skilled at deception,” Perry cautioned them.

“Thanks, Perry. We’ll keep that in mind and return as soon as we can," Rose said and shivered at his guarded advice. "If you need anything, you can ring me on my cell.”

The Doctor set his cup down with a clank. “No worries, Perry! We’ll be fine!” He jumped up as Rose’s mobile rang. “Ahh, that would be our ride!" He tugged Rose up. "See you in a few days, Perry!”

The Doctor and Rose were transmatted into the center of Professor’s Tok’s ship which was more like a shuttle. They were surrounded by seating and scientific work stations. Professor Tok stood before them. He was about a meter and a half in height, and had white skin, white hair and a beard with startling blue eyes. He was dressed in a gray and blue coat with blue pants and black boots. He smiled brightly and inclined his head. “Doctor, at last we meet in person, and this must be Lady Rose. An honor my lady. Welcome to my humble transport. Please have a seat.”

“Hullo, Tok!" The Doctor waved at him. "Rose and I appreciate the lift. So how’s the modulator coming along?”

“Thanks to your assistance, we are making progress again. I do appreciate your help. Now then, I understand you need transport to Crescere. Lovely planet. I will set the coordinates, and we will be off and then we can discuss this theory of yours on Megahydra Plasticine Extrapolation. My lady, you will excuse me, yes?” Tok inclined his head and made his way to the front of the shuttle and sat down at what appeared to Rose to be a control panel.

“Doctor, is he just droppin’ us off?” Rose asked quietly.

“Oh, yes, he’ll drop us off on the way to his conference on Xuylath and will check in with us about a week later. I explained to him that we were on an expedition and weren’t sure how long it would take.

“Right, so while we’re on the way to Crescere the two of you are gonna geek out discussin’ Mega Plastic whatsits theory?” Rose asked, here face crinkling in confusion.

“Megahydra Plasticine Extrapolation. Yes, fascinating stuff.”

Rose did make an effort to follow the discussion for a couple of hours but soon realized, she was completely lost. Tok offered her a meal that looked to Rose like berries, a white, hard cheese and green triangular crackers which reminded her of basil. Eventually, she fell asleep and didn’t awaken until they arrived at Crescere. They bid Tok goodbye and transmatted onto the planet just outside a village.

“So, Doctor, where is this Amber Cerva and who do we have to talk to about it?” Rose asked, admiring the verdant landscape.

“Wellll, you see, it’s sort of in a preserve being run by this fellow by the name of The Keeper.”

“This Keeper bloke, friendly,” Rose asked as they strolled down a dirt road.

“We’ll find out soon enough. The entrance is just over the hill.”

As they reached the top of the hill, they stopped and looked at a giant gray stone wall that stretched for miles. Not far from the bottom of the hill were giant metallic double doors set into the wall with two watchtowers on either side.

“Doesn’t look real welcoming. Didn’t you say this was a preserve?”

“Yes, a secure one apparently." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, let’s not dilly dally. We have a Keeper to convince and a Cerva to deliver.”

As they walked to the gate, Rose started to worry. “So, we have to deliver the Cerva to the Monument to Vanity and where’s that?”

The Doctor didn’t say anything for a while, and Rose gripped his arm and stopped him. He sighed. “Oh, all right, it’s over 50 kilometers from here.”

“Fifty kilometers! How we gonna get this Cerva, this really fast runnin’ Cerva, all the way over there?”

“We’ll just get transport. Rose, do stop worrying. It’s not going to be a problem,” the Doctor insisted, his eyes focused on the gate ahead of them.

“Right,” she said in sarcastic tone.

They arrived at the gate and a hologram of a man dressed in a black earth like suit with a red tie appeared. “This is the Preserve of Crescere. No unauthorized access is permitted. Do you have a permit?”

“Permit, permit, permit,” the Doctor said as he patted his coat and reached into his pocket. “Ah yes, here’s our permit!” He presented the psychic paper. The hologram appeared to scan it and turned to them.

“Authorization accepted. Please proceed through the gate to the main facilities. The Keeper awaits the pleasure of your company.” The hologram disappeared, and the gate opened.

Rose leaned over to the Doctor and whispered to him, “Don’t you think that was a bit easy.”

“Of course, just smile and let’s go meet this Keeper fellow,” the Doctor whispered back to her.

They briskly strode down a stone path with gardens and tall earth-like trees on either side until they finally reached a house that was more like a castle to Rose. It was massive and built of gray blocks of stone just like you would find on Earth. As they walked up the steps leading to a massive red door, it opened automatically and when they walked through into the hall, there was no one there. They continued walking through the massive entryway, which was lined with large colorful tapestries hanging from the walls. Eventually, they entered a larger room. They stopped in shock as they observed a man on the stairs. There before them, dressed in a black slacks, boots and a black dress shirt with the two top buttons undone, was the spitting image of Jack Harkness. He smiled at them and walked down the stairs to greet them.

“So, my mysterious, good-looking guests with the psychic paper have arrived." The Doctor winced while Rose tightened her grip on his arm adn whispered "Told you."

Their host grinned broader. "Oh, don’t look at me like that. You think I didn’t know? Come now. So who are you really? I’ll admit I’m intrigued.”

The Doctor recovered himself and straightened his Jacket. “I’m the Doctor and this is Rose. You would be the Keeper, I presume?”

The Keeper strode forward a smirk on his face and took Rose’s hand and brought it to his lips. “The pleasure is all mine,” he told her as he kissed the top of her hand and held it gazing into her eyes. Rose blushed.

“Yes, well now that we’ve been introduced, perhaps we should discuss why we’re visiting this lovely preserve of yours,” the Doctor said as he possessively stepped closer to Rose.

The Keeper looked up at him, smiling even brighter but not releasing Rose’s hand. “Of course. Do join me for a drink.” He pulled Rose alongside him into a huge library. The Doctor walked up to Rose’s side and grabbed her other hand. Rose looked back and forth between them.

The Keeper guided them toward a wall of books. He released Rose’s hand and reached up and partially pulled out three of the books. After he pulled the third book, there was a wooshing sound and the wall of books disappeared. A bar appeared inset in the wall. The Keeper turned around. “So what’s your poison? Zekian Mar, Old Earth Whiskey, Hyper Vodka?” He held up a crystal glass and arched his eyebrow, giving them another smirk.

“Uh, nothing for me, thanks,” Rose told him.

The Doctor, not one to bow down to a challenge, stepped forward. “Any Talexian Brandy?”

“A man of taste. Excellent.” The Keeper reached further into the recesses of the bar and pulled out a crystal decanter filled with a blue liquid which Rose guessed to be the brandy. The Keeper poured the brandy and handed it to the Doctor, who took a sip and nodded. He poured himself a drink and they walked over to a group of chairs near a fireplace. Rose sat next to the Doctor, and the Keeper sat opposite them.

“So, what can I do for you?” the Keeper asked.

“We have task we need to complete and need to borrow something from you.”

“Borrow?” The Keeper drawled and swirled the brandy in his crystal glass.

“Yes. I understand you have an Amber Cerva here. Is that true?” the Doctor asked.

“Maybe. If I did, it would be a very rare thing and not something I would want to let go,” the Keeper responded, dipping his finger in his drink and rubbing it on the rim of the glass.

“We just need to borrow it for a bit and would return it to you as quickly as possible," the Doctor explained. "No harm would come to it. If you would allow us to borrow the Cerva, perhaps we could make a small donation to your preserve.”

The Keeper smiled brightly and brought the finger he dipped in his drink to his lips and gently sucked the liquid from the tip while staring at Rose. “I am a collector of rare and beautiful things. As it so happens, I happen to have an Amber Cerva. I may be persuaded to allow you to borrow it if you would perhaps play a game with me.”

The Doctor’s eyes darkened, and he was quite clearly unhappy with the Keeper. “What sort of game?” he asked.

The Keeper arose and walked toward a window and looked out before turning back to them. “Do you gamble, Doctor?”

“No. There’s little challenge to gambling.”

“Well, maybe that’s because the stakes weren’t high enough.”

“I take it you have something in mind.” the Doctor's voice was sharp.

The Keeper smiled and walked over to Rose and caressed her hair.

The Doctor jumped up and stood face to face with the Keeper. “That’s enough,” he told him in a tight voice. “This is between you and I. Leave Rose out of it!”

“Easy, Doctor. I’m an admirer of beautiful, rare things, especially things not from this Universe."

The Doctor stepped back and slid his hand toward the sonic in his coat pocket.

"Oh, don’t look so surprised," the Keeper said with a chuckle. "You came to my preserve using psychic paper to try and scam your way in. You think I didn’t check you out as you walked through the gate? Please. As if you were the first to try. The lovely Rose here is covered in void stuff and more. It’s obvious she’s not a local girl. There’s been rumors of major activity on Earth for a while now. You two are definitely not ordinary. So, you interested or should I just show you the door?” he asked, tilting his head toward the exit.

“What do you want?” the Doctor asked him tersely.

“That’s the spirit!” the Keeper exclaimed, clapping his hands together in glee.


	19. The Keeper of The Cerva

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose meet the Keeper of the Reserve where the Cerva is located only to find an alternate universe version of Jack Harkness. Is he like their Jack? Can he be trusted? As Perry the gardener said, nothing is as it first appears and that is important to remember. This chapt contains something that broke my heart to write but it had to happen. Just remember, they are the Doctor and Rose. Nothing can rip them apart for long.

“So, how’s this going to work?” Rose asked, walking over to stand next to the Doctor.

“Easy, the Doctor can borrow the Cerva to complete this rather mysterious task and you, my lovely Rose, will stay here with me and enjoy all I have to offer," The Keeper explained as he glanced at the Doctor.

“No!” the Doctor said in a steely voice. “I don’t trust you.”

“And why should I trust you with my Cerva?" The Keeper stepped forward, gaze fixated on the Doctor. "You, who cons his way into my Reserve with psychic paper and some story about how you need to borrow my very one of a kind Cerva. You say you’ll bring her back, but how do I know that? Far as I’m concerned, you’re just another scam artist. Now, you leave me with something you value, then I know you’ll bring her back.” The Keeper smiled and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

“And that’s it nothing more? How do I know you won’t harm Rose?” the Doctor demanded.

“I don’t destroy beautiful, one-of-a-kind things," the Keeper purred, caressing Rose with his gaze. "On the contrary, I covet them. You see Doctor, if by the time you return with my undamaged Cerva, Rose succumbs to my not so unsubstantial charms, she stays. Forever.”

“Wait, what do you mean succumb? What does that mean?” Rose asked, worried.

The Keeper stared hotly at her. “Oh I think you know exactly what that means,” the Keeper winked at her. “Don’t worry Rose, I’ll take care of you and keep you entertained while the posh hustler here is on his trip with the Cerva. I promise, you won’t be bored.” The Keeper walked toward them picking up his drink of a table. “You know, it’s all about choices and trust. Do you trust him to return for you? Does he trust you with me? Can either of you be tempted to betray the other?”

“I trust Rose with every particle of my being,” the Doctor insisted.

“And I trust the Doctor. Doesn’t mean I trust you though, Keeper." Rose crossed her arms and tilted her chin up. "Seems like you’re the type that might try and stack the odds in your favor. How do we know you won’t try and do something to prevent the Doctor from returning or steal the Cerva from him after he leaves? What’s to guarantee that you play fair?”

“Rose is right." The Doctor moved closer to her. "I won’t risk putting her in danger with some frustrated Lothario. How do I know you won’t try some cliché amatory drug or psychic manipulation with either of us? If we agree to this, you have to agree to certain terms.”

Rose looked up at the Doctor who was standing rigidly next to her. She couldn’t believe they were actually considering this.

The Keeper laughed. “Oh you two are just so cute! As if I need pharmaceutical assistance to seduce anyone. I assure you Doctor, there are far more appealing ways for me to show Rose she’s wasting her time and her very lovely attributes on you. Perhaps you’re worried because you know that she’ll never stay with you once she realizes you‘re more interested in an adventure than her.”

“You know nothing of Rose and I.” The Doctor turned to Rose. “We don’t have to do this. We can end this right here and now and go home,” he softly told her.

“Doctor, I don’t like this but we have to. If we don’t, we’ll never have any peace and they’ll be after us forever.” Rose held his hands tightly and looked into his eyes. “Let’s just get this done. Promise me you’ll be careful. Just come back to me in one piece.”

The Doctor could only gasp her name in response and pulled her into his embrace. He heard her whisper “Love you” and pulled away. He turned to the Keeper. “All right Keeper, here are my terms. While I’m away with your Cerva, Rose stays with you and is provided with her own private quarters. She is not to be harassed or forced to do anything she doesn’t want. If I think for one millisecond that her mind has been manipulated, she has been fed any psychotropic substances or anything with a so-called aphrodisiac quality to it, I’m taking her whether or not you like it. I won’t allow Rose to be harmed by you physically or emotionally. I’ll have the Cerva back to you in a few days and then we’ll take our leave.”

The Keeper smiled his eyes sparkling, “Done!” He walked over to them, “So shall I show you to the Cerva’s habitat? This way.” He walked them out through a garden toward a gated area. “The Cerva’s in there. Good luck in catching her. And remember, you said you wouldn’t harm her.”

The Doctor turned to him. “So I have to fetch her myself?”

“I don’t recall my capturing her being part of the deal,” the Keeper responded with an arched brow.

“Fine. Rose, I won’t be a minute.” The Doctor turned and slipped in and closed the gate behind him.

The Keeper turned to Rose. “So, you sure I can’t offer you a drink?”

“No, thanks, I’ll just wait here for the Doctor.

“Sweetheart, this could take a while,” the Keeper told her.

“It’s okay. I’ll wait.” Rose told him, and settled down on a patch of grass. The Keeper just smiled and shook his head. “Suit yourself.” He walked away leaving Rose to wait. It took the Doctor hours. He finally emerged with the Cerva harnessed and walking beside him.

“Doctor, everything all right?” Rose asked him, but her attention was on the Cerva. It looked like a small deer. It had a fine shiny coat of fur that was a golden color with two tiny white horns protruding from it’s head proving it was a female. It gently nuzzled the Doctor’s leg.

“Oh I’m fine. Just took a bit. Had to wait her out. She likes cheese crisps by the way.”

“So I guess you’ll be leaving then?” Rose asked, toeing her trainer in the grass.

“I have to. The sooner I leave, the sooner I return,” he told her softly, stepping toward her. The Cerva moved in between them. Rose looked down at her and reached out a hand but the Cerva stepped away. “I think she’s ready to go, Doctor. Please be safe and come back soon.” The Doctor leaned in and kissed her lightly. “It’ll only be a few days. I promise.” He turned and led the Cerva out of the garden. Rose stayed at the Cerva habitat until she was sure he was gone and then turned around to see The Keeper leaning against an open door to the house.

“Well, now that he’s out of the way, why don’t I show you to your room?”

“Yeah, sure,” Rose responded quietly, slowly walking toward the house.

The Doctor, meanwhile, wasted no time heading into the village for transport leading the Cerva beside him. On the outskirts of town, he came across a farmer in a field.

“Excuse me, hello!" The Doctor waved at him. "I'm the Doctor and was wondering if you might have a transport I could borrow or rent for me and my little friend here?”

The farmer dressed in a green jumpsuit hopped off his plow and walked over to the Doctor pushing his hat back on his head. He looked at the Doctor and the Cerva. “You want to what?”

“I was wondering if you might have a transport I can borrow or rent? You see, I have to get to the Monument to Vanity and it’s rather urgent.”

The farmer looked at the Doctor dressed in a suit with the Cerva in a harness beside him. He laughed and then stopped. “You’re serious. You and your little deer friend want to go to the Monument to Vanity?”

“Yes, it’s a bit urgent. My friend is being held by the Keeper until I get to the monument and return to the Rreserve,” the Doctor told him, glossing over the details.

The farmer looked at him and then over at his farm house. “So, you’re a Doctor are you? My wife’s been feeling ill. You take a look at her and if you can help, I’ll let you borrow my cart.”

“Fair enough,” the Doctor replied.

The Doctor met the farmer’s wife and thankfully it was something he could help her with. A quick mix of ingredients in her cupboards and her rash was on the way to being healed. Afterward, the Doctor loaded the Cerva onto the horse drawn cart and headed in the direction of the monument.

“There, there my little Cerva. Just hold tight and I’ll have you home lickty split.” he told the Cerva, who stood on the cart and looked at him its head cocked to one side. The trip to the monument would take over a day in a horse drawn cart. As the sun set, they were well into the country and hadn’t passed anyone or any buildings in quite some time.

“Well my friend, I’d say we better pick a spot for the evening. It’ll be dark soon and I’m sure you could use a rest.” the Doctor pulled them into a secluded meadow with a stream nearby. He hopped off the cart and helped the Cerva down and walked over toward the stream. “Here you go, a nice cool drink of water,” he told her as he knelt down to cup some water for himself.” The sun soon set and he settled down in the grassy meadow and tied the Cerva’s leash to his arm so she couldn’t run away. The Cerva was nibbling at some grass and flowers as he dosed off. The moon had just begun to rise when he fell asleep.

He felt a warm body snuggle up to him and automatically wrapped his arms around it. He opened his eyes to find a very naked, very beautiful blond woman in his arms. She was smiling and started to kiss him. He jumped up and stared at her.

“Excuse me, who are you?”

She smiled and stood up and gracefully walked toward him. She was dressed only in the harness which was still attached to his wrist. “You know who I am. You captured and rescued me from the Keeper. My brave, handsome Doctor. I am the Cerva. How can you not know?”

“Ohhh, You’re a shape shifter. Wow, that’s just brilliant," he breathed out the words in awe. "I had no idea. So how long have you been in the form of the Cerva?

“On and off for a long time. I know no other way. It’s been so long since I have been outside the Reserve. The Keeper told me it wasn’t safe. I’ve always wondered what it would be like,” she told him, looking around and up at the sky. “There are so many stars…” she whispered.

He smiled. “Yes, filled with many planets and different cultures. The Keeper knows about you and yet, he still keeps you locked up?”

“Yes, he says it’s not safe. If people knew about me, they would want to study me or display me in some horrible cage.”

“But aren’t you in a cage at the Reserve?” he asked, worried that he would have to return her to her isolated existence.

“Yes and no. You see, I can only take this form in the moonlight. During the day, I am the Cerva you found in the Reserve. During moonlight, the Keeper would take me out to dinner and dancing in his home. Sometimes, he took me to holographic concerts in the gardens. It’s been a while since he visited me though. I think he’s been distracted by something.”

“Moonlight! Oh you’re a wavelength haemovariform! I’ve never heard of one in your particular species. Had a bit of a run in with the Lupine variety though. Nasty business that.”

“Lupine! They are not like me!" she insisted. "They hunted my kind into extinction. I haven’t seen another like me in over a century.” she told him sadly, kneeling in the grass and running her hand over some flowers, her long blonde hair falling over her face.

The Doctor knelt down beside her. “I know what it feels like to be the last of your kind. It’s not fair for you to be locked up. When we return, I’ll talk to the Keeper.”

She looked up at him. “You know, the Keeper is quite taken with the Rose female. He’s quite charming and knows how to make a girl feel special. He will make her forget you. You don‘t have to go back you know. We have much in common. We could….”

“No. You’re wrong." The Doctor refused to listen to anyone even hint that Rose would leave him. "Rose loves me. He can charm her all he wants but it won’t make a difference and I…”

The Doctor was stopped when she pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. When they broke apart, he just stared at her. “What was I saying…” he asked. She smiled. “You were saying how much I would enjoy traveling with you.”

“Oh yes, there’s just so much to see!” He laid down on the grass with her curled up by his side and began to tell her tales about the stars as she laid her head on his shoulder. She looked up at the sky and back at him satisfied that she would be able to keep him focused on her and mask his memories of anything else.

As the Doctor lay in the moonlight with the Cerva, Rose was preparing for dinner with The Keeper. Earlier that day, he led her to a massive room lushly decorated in mauve and creamy yellow colors. It had a decadent bathroom with a deep marble bath tub with jets and was filled with bath oils, bubble bath, perfumes and anything she could desire. Equally as decadent, was the wardrobe. It was filled with beautiful gowns and all manner of clothing made of the finest, softest silk, lace and fabrics of all colors. The Keeper liked to dress for dinner so Rose dressed in a royal blue, full length halter dress with sandals and styled her hair in a cascade of curls. She wore minimal makeup and made little effort to do anything that might give him the impression she was trying to impress him.

He was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs dressed in a black tuxedo, his jet black hair styled in a tousled wave setting off his bright blue eyes.

“Gorgeous,” he complemented her, kissing her hand. He wrapped his arm through hers and led her to a small intimate table set up in glassed in sun room. The room was lit only by the stars, moon and numerous candles placed throughout.

“It’s lovely. You really shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble,” she told him, as she sat down and he pushed her chair in.

“No trouble at all. Anything for you, Rose. I like eating out here, under the stars with the light and life of the universe surrounding me.”

He poured them each a glass of wine and sat down opposite her. So what do you want know?”

“You offering to tell me about yourself?”

“Sure, why not?” He shrugged and took a sip of his wine.

“All right. So how does one become The Keeper?”

He laughed. “Well, that is a very interesting story. You see I’m not exactly from this world. I was sort of a freelance security specialist you might say.”

“So not a local boy then.” Rose smiled, thinking of another similar conversation she had with the Jack Harkness of her universe.

“Not at all. Not even from this time really. But then that wouldn’t surprise someone like you would it?” he asked, an eyebrow arched.

Rose sipped her wine. “What do mean?” she asked, innocently.

He grinned cheekily at her. “I do my homework. You’re oozing artron radiation as well as void stuff and you’re a genetically altered human. You’ve traveled through time and across the void and are unique for Earth in the present timeline. I love a good mystery and especially when it’s someone so beautiful. So how about show and tell?” He winked at her.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Well, maybe I’m from a parallel world.”

He raised his eyebrows and sat up straight. “The existence and travel among parallel worlds is only a theory. It’s never been proven possible even in my original time. If it’s true, how’d you do it?” There was an intensity to his voice. Rose smiled softly feeling an advantage. He wasn't just casually interested in her for sex.

“Show and tell remember, Keeper, I told you somethin’ about me now your turn. Where and when are you from?”

“Boeshane Peninsula, 51st century colony. How’d you get here?”

“It was an accident. Scientists in my world were mucking about with opening the void. Cyberman and Daleks came through. When the void was closed, I got caught up in the backwash and ended up in this time on Earth.” Rose decided it was best not to tell him everything so she tried to keep things vague.

He sat back and stared at her. “You lead an interesting life. And the time travel?”

“Nope. My turn. How’d you end up as The Keeper.”

“I was investigating some temporal anomalies here and got a little more than I bargained for. Everything was centered around the Reserve. Took me forever to break in.”

A servant appeared and served them dinner that looked to Rose like a blackened fish, with green and purple vegetables and freshly baked bread.

“So you were sayin’ about breakin’ in?”

“Ah I think it’s your turn, sweetheart. So, time travel and how does a nice girl like you come up against Daleks and Cyberman?”

“It’s complicated.”

“The best stories usually are,” he admitted and sipped his wine.

Rose sighed. Well she guessed she needed to tell him some of it. “Well, I met this time traveler in my original universe and he invited me to travel with him. So I did. We may have had a few run ins along the way.”

“You’re not wearing a vortex manipulator.” The Keeper pointed out.

“Naw, we traveled by time ship. So you broke in to the Reserve, then what?”

“Confrontation with very powerful beings that didn’t want to be disturbed. I might have ticked them off and they did something to me.”

“What do you mean did something?”

He hesitated, held up his wine and stared at the golden liquid while it swirled in his glass. “I’m not sure. I know I can’t leave the Reserve.”

“What? Like your stuck here and can’t go beyond the walls?” Rose asked.

He nodded his head. “That would be about it.”

“I’m sorry.” Rose said with compassion lacing her voice. “I know what it means to feel trapped.”

He looked up at her. “Tell me.”

“I didn’t want to be in this universe. I wanted to be back in my original universe with my time traveling friend. I worked real hard to get back there. Don’t suppose you noticed the stars going out?”

He stood up and pulled his chair around the table until he was right next to her, all flirting set aside. “You know about that? Were you part of it?”

“Maybe, a bit,” she answered, intimidated by his response.

“There was a huge universal reset that happened," the Keeper explained. "Suddenly it was like they never went out. Not many people remember that it happened. The closer you are to the epicenter of the event, the more likely you are to not have your memories readjusted. That tells me it was around you. You know what happened don’t you?”

Rose related the tale of Davros and the twenty-seven planets and explained the Doctor had destroyed Davros and the Daleks. She purposely omitted the part about the Meta Crisis. She wasn’t ready to explain that yet. He sat back and sniffed his wine before directing a speculative look at her with piercing blue eyes. 

“Like you, I’m not exactly human anymore," he admitted. "I’m more sensitive to temporal anomalies and universal shifts like you just described. I gotta tell you, you’re mucking about in the void gave me headaches for weeks. I don’t know why I could feel it, but it probably has something to do with what they did to me here." Rose leaned into him.

"Whatever happened, they erased some of my memories. I know that I came here to investigate and I remember getting past the wall. I remember seeing someone but it’s all a little fuzzy after that. Next thing I know, I’m in this house and when I try to leave I sort or burst into flames. Not a pretty sight.”

Rose instinctively grasped his hand. “I’m so sorry. You burned but then you healed?”

“Yeah, guess that’s the good part. At least I get to stay gorgeous for a long long time.” He grinned at her and caressed her hand. “So beautiful, how about keeping a handsome imprisoned guy company for a while.”

Rose smiled and thought to herself how much like her Jack he was. “You’re real name is not The Keeper is it?”

His thumb intimately caressed her knuckles. “No. Is that important? ‘That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet’,” he recited to her.

“Never got around to meeting Shakespeare," she admitted with a chuckle. "Did you?”

“Sixteenth century Earth. Interesting times, a bit smelly and plague infested but interesting. Is that a yes?”

“Nope! I don’t suppose you’ve ever used the name Jack before?”

He dropped her hand like he’d been burned and his face hardened. “Why’d you call me that?”

“Sorry. It’s just. I met the exact image of you in the other universe," she said quickly. "He called himself Jack Harkness. He was a rebel time agent running a con when I met him. He was also just as charming as you and a dear friend.”

“Another me?” He smiled and leaned back in his chair. “That has potential. Think of the possibilities….” He smirked at her a sexy mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Oh please, somehow I think one of you was enough. Don’t think one universe could take two Jacks shagging their way across it.”

He grinned at her and leaned in closer. “So were you and your friend Jack close?” he asked her softly, caressing her hand.

“Not the way you think. Not that he didn’t try. He actually fancied both me and my time travelin’ friend. The three of us we were quite a team.”

“A threesome, I like the sound of that!" His voice lilted up in a flirtatious way. "So, you make it sound like you haven’t seen him for a while. Any reason?”

Rose frowned and stared at her now cold dinner. “Daleks. We got caught up in a war and were separated. It was years before I saw him again. Now, He’s on the other side of the void and I won’t ever see him again.” Her heart ached as she thought about the last time she saw him. She hadn't known then it would be the last.

“I’m sorry. Well, maybe I’m not. After all his loss, is my gain. In fact, it’s been a long time since anyone called me Jack. I’d like it if that’s what you called me when we’re together. That is, if it doesn’t bother you?”

Rose looked up at him and smiled. “Yeah. I like Jack better than Keeper.”

The Keeper aka Jack poured each of them more wine. “Well, look at us so caught up in deep, intimate conversation, we’re letting this delicious meal go to waste. Can’t have that. Your Doctor might do me harm if you waste away. I think I need to make sure you eat. Want me to butter your bread?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Rose rolled her eyes “Is that the best you’ve got? Please, Earth men have better lines.”

He laughed and told her, “Honey, I’m just getting warmed up. Just you wait.”

Rose laughed and then thought about the Doctor. “Jack, about the Doctor. He might be able to help you. He’s brilliant and been around for a long, long time. He’d understand. He’s sort of the last of his kind.”

Jack sat back and played with some silverware. “I’ll admit, he is cute. A bit overprotective and angry but in a sexy kind of way. He doesn’t look all that old. How could he help me?”

Rose tapped her finger on the table and came to a decision. “Jack, have you ever heard of Time Lords?”

“You are dabbling in the legends tonight aren’t you? So you telling me you know a Time Lord?”

“Yeah. The Doctor is a Time Lord.”

“No way!" he gasped. "They’re a fairy tale. It’s something certain races tell stories about but no one’s ever found any evidence they even existed. You’re telling me that Doctor sexy pants is one of them? I mean he registered as an alien human mix of undetermined genome, but he’s part human. Are you sure he’s not pulling one over on you?”

“Yeah, he sort of became part human. It happened while we were fighting the Daleks. Jack, I’ve seen him do amazing things. I really think he might be able to help you or at least tell you what happened here.”

The waiter reappeared and took their dinner plates and served dessert while Jack poured a dessert wine for them. He seemed to be thinking about what Rose told him. Dessert was a tart that contained nuts and chocolate with a sweet white foam on top.

“So, tell me why you think he’s a Time Lord. Convince me, Rose.”

“When I first started traveling with him, it was in his TARDIS. TARDIS is Time and Relative Dimension In Space. Time Lord technology that's bigger on the inside. It traveled through in the time vortex. The Doctor is over nine hundred years old. Is that enough to convince ya?”

Jack stared at her, his spoon in the air half way to his plate. “You’ve been on an actual TARDIS? Okayyyy," he drew out. "Why didn’t you land it in the Reserve instead of coming in the front door?”

“Well, we don’t actually have it anymore. It’s in the other universe.”

“Right. Well, I am intrigued. Guess we’ll have to see when he returns. If he returns.”

“What do you mean if he returns?” Rose asked, worried.

“You don’t know much about the Amber Cerva do you?”

“What do mean?”

“She’s very enticing and she always gets what she wants. The Doctor caught her awful fast don’t you think?”

“I don’t understand?” Rose shook her head, heart pounding as she worried the Doctor was in danger.

“Oh Rose sweetheart, the odds of your Doctor returning are not very high. She’s not some cute little docile deer. She is so much more. The Doctor didn’t catch her. She caught him and I’ll wager, she’s not going to let him go easily. It took me a long time to finally realize what was happening and when I did, resisting her was like an addict going cold turkey.”

“No. It can’t be. The Doctor loves me. He’s coming back. It’ll take more than some tarty deer woman to stop him from coming back.”

“I’m sorry, Rose. I thought he knew. He seemed so sure of himself," Jack's face fell and he slid his spoon into the dessert. "Well, there’s nothing we can do now but wait. Maybe you’re right and he’ll see through her manipulation. Better you’re here than out there. She’s ruthless about getting what she wants and she would never let you stand in the way. You’re safe here.” He walked over and knelt by her and put his hand on her arm. Rose felt her chest tighten and her only instinct was to run after the Doctor. 

“Maybe I should go after him?”

“No!" Jack snapped. "I won’t let you do that. It’s too dangerous and if he loves you as much as you say, he would want you safe. Besides, they could be anywhere. If he is a Time Lord like you say, he might be able to resist her. Let’s give him time and see what happens, okay?”

“Yeah,” she said quietly gently fingering the bracelet on her wrist that he had given her on Cleone during their first task.


	20. Trust Takes Years to Build and a Cerva to Shatter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Cerva (aka Tarty Deer Woman) has altered the Doctor’s memories and convinced him to love her. He has no memories of Rose who is staying with the Keeper aka Jack (of this universe). Jack has explained to her about the Cerva’s ability and warned her the Doctor may not return. Rose continues to have faith in him.

The Doctor woke the next morning with the Cerva back in deer form nuzzling his neck.

“Good morning, love! Are you ready for a day of adventure?" he asked, scratching her neck. "Let’s see, where should we go today? Hmmm, oh, I know! Crescere is known for fields filled with Golden Alsums. They’re gorgeous and may even be tasty for you. Oh, you’ll love wandering through them in the moonlight. I think there’s a town nearby. Maybe one night we can even go into town for dinner and dancing. What do you say?”

The Cerva licked his face.

“I thought so. Let me get the cart ready for us then.” As he readied the cart and the Cerva nibbled on some grass, he felt something itching at the back of his mind. Something was missing, but he couldn’t figure out what. He lifted the Cerva and put her back in the cart and headed in the direction of the field which, unfortunately, was not on the way to the Monument to Vanity where he had been originally headed. The trip to the field was quite leisurely and the Doctor stopped periodically and continued babbling sweetly to the Cerva. Come nightfall, he created a camp site near a pond close to the field. As the moon rose, the Doctor laid down to wait for the Cerva to transform. A shimmer appeared and the Cerva appeared to stretch until she was in human form lounging in front of him.

“Hello,” he spoke softly to her. She launched herself at him kissing him passionately. When she finally came up for a breath she laughed and threw her arms around him. “Oh thank you for bringing me here!” she told him, smiling brightly. She turned and looked at the field of gold flowers bathed in the moonlight and sighed. “It’s so beautiful.”

“I knew you’d love it,” he told her, pleased at her reaction. She kissed him again quickly and took off running through the fields with great joy. He sat there just watching her trying to remember a time when he was so filled with light. He couldn't remember. That was odd. He frowned and scratched his head in an attempt to fight through his fogged memories. The lithe blonde returned and sat next to him curling up to his side.

“You picked some fruit earlier today for our supper. Is it ready?” she asked trailing her fingers up and down his arm.

“Oh, yes. I forgot about that. Here, let me fix some for you.”

She smiled in contentment. She liked being in control again. This was even better than the Keeper. Now she was free to roam the entire planet with someone who would do anything to protect her. She could sense power in him as well. Yes, she would not let this one go.

The next day, the Doctor took her into town to trade for some supplies and pick out a place for dinner. He bought her a long golden silk dress so he could take her out that night. She reveled in the nightlife in town. The music and dancing made her very bold and she was determined to cement her dominance over the Doctor. When they went back to the field that night, she allowed the silk to slid down her skin and pushed his jacket off his shoulders. 

"My handsome savior," she murmured as slid her hands up his chest, scraping the nape of his neck with her nails. He stepped backward with an "oomph" as she planted her lips against him and wrapped her body around his. The fell to the ground as she kissed him in earnest, tugging at his oxford. He jerked away.

“Cerva, wait!" he gasped. "We should slow down. There’s no rush, love. We have all the time we want. Let’s take our time and enjoy every minute we have.” The Cerva frowned straddling him. 

“I want to be sure you love me,” she said with the pout. He smiled, with a glazed look in his eyes and caressed her face. 

“How could I not? How could I find anyone else who shares my love of adventure? There is only you, my love.” She smiled victoriously.

The next day, he awoke with an idea. “I know just the place to take you next. You’ll love it! It’s an enormous monument surrounded by gardens. The beauty of it is only diminished in comparison to you.” 

The Doctor loaded the Cerva on the cart, and off they went. Little did the Cerva know, the Doctor’s idea was inspired by his subconscious mind trying to regain control and their destination was the Monument to Vanity. They wouldn’t reach the monument until the following morning. Once again, they spent a romantic night beneath the moon. The Cerva had the Doctor serving her and feeding her pieces of fruit while she lounged beneath the moon. She once again pressured him to submit to her every whim but an ache in the back of his head held him back. His reticence to comply with all her wishes frustrated her.

When they arrived at the Monument to Vanity, it was mid morning and the flowers of the garden were in full bloom. The Doctor reached over and caressed the Cerva. “See, love, isn’t this gorgeous. The monument is just up ahead.” He found a space among the flowers and pulled the cart off to the side and hopped out. The Cerva jumped into his arms, and he lowered her to the ground. They walked around gardens filled with blue, yellow and pink flowers of every kind imaginable. They paused by a fountain for a drink and to eat lunch. A few people walked by them and stared at the strange man in a pin stripe suit speaking romantically to the little harnessed deer at his side.

Eventually they wandered deeper into the gardens. The Cerva delighted in hopping in and out of the flower beds and nibbling on the delicate soft green grass. They reached the Monument to Vanity at the center of the Garden. The monument was an ornate statute made of an iridescent metal that reflected rainbows of colors as it swirled in spirals and rounded arcs toward the sky. From base to the top of the monument it was over ten meters high with a tranquil pool of water in front of it reflecting its beauty. As the Doctor approached the monument, several tall, smiling women approached. They were dressed in colorful sari-like dresses with hair in the various shades artfully arranged on their heads. Ornate, bejeweled, bracelets, anklets, pendants, rings sparkled in the light. The jewelry tinkled like delicate, little bells chiming as they walked.

“Doctor, welcome to the Monument to Vanity. We’ve been expecting you," the eldest woman with blue hair said.

“Expecting me? Really?” he asked, still not remembering he was suppose to be here delivering the Cerva.

“Yes. We see you have the Cerva for us.” 

“What! No!" he exclaimed and stepped in front of the Cerva. "She’s my love and is traveling with me. We’re only here to visit and I’ll have to ask you to stand back. I won’t allow anyone to threaten my love,” he said holding a hand out, standing tall and staring darkly at them.

The women all started to shake their heads. “Oh Doctor, you’ve fallen under her spell haven’t you?" one of the women said. "And you don’t even know it. Do you even remember why you came to Crescere? About Rose?”

“I tell you what I know." he inserted in a deadly voice. "I know that you’re trying to capture and imprison her. I’ll never allow her to be imprisoned again. We’re leaving.” The Doctor turned around to leave when he was tackled from behind by men standing guard at the monument. The Cerva struggled against the Doctor's grip on her harness. One of the women took the Cerva’s leash off the Doctor’s arm and tried to pull her away. All the while, the Doctor screamed “No!” In all of the struggling and screaming, the Cerva wiggled her way out of the harness eventually freeing herself.

Everyone stepped away from the Doctor and watched the gold blur of the Cerva as she dashed out of the garden at lighting speed. The Doctor turned and looked at them with an angry glare. “Now look what you’ve done! She’s frightened and alone!”

One of the women approached him. “Doctor, you have fulfilled your obligation. We’ll take it from here. Go back to your Rose. Forget the Cerva. I promise you, we’ll find her and keep her safe. She will be loved and worshiped here as it was intended.”   
The woman turned and left him staring down at the little golden harness laying limply on the ground. He bent down and picked it up and hugged it to his chest. 

With tears running down his face, he whispered, “I’ll find you. I won’t fail you again.” He stood up and returned to the cart. He set his sonic to scan for the Cerva and went off to find her.

It wasn’t until nightfall that he found her hiding in a thickly wooded area. “Cerva, please I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know. I don’t know why they said those things. Please, let me help you,” he begged, and fell to his knees.

The Cerva walked up to him, drew her hand back and slapped him hard leaving a red mark on his cheek. “How could you! You’ll have to earn my favor again. Now, give me you coat, I’m cold!” 

He dutifully shrugged off his coat and wrapped her in it making soothing sounds as he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him and nuzzled his neck. The next day, she was harnessed and they left on the little cart leaving as fast as they could to escape the worshipers of the Monument to Vanity. It would take him two more weeks of traveling with her before he was able to see through her manipulations and psychic domination of his mind.

The day he remembered started out like any other day. The Cerva was frolicking in a field, nibbling on grass and chasing butterflies. He was sitting under a tree, gazing into a pool of water. As he watched his reflection, he had visions of another pool and hearing someone calling his name. The memories were flitting about his mind like the butterflies in the field. Just as he was about to grab them, they fluttered away. With frustration, he thrust his hands into the pool and pulled them up and splashed the cool water on his face. 

When he looked up across the water, he saw vines with tiny pink flowers on them. Roses. Like pieces to a puzzle clicking into place, he came to the horrible revelation of all that had happened. His chest ached and his stomach twisted in horror. 

Rose -- how could he forget her? How could this have happened to him? No simple little shape shifter should have been able to alter his memories and manipulate him to this degree. He had to get the Cerva back to the Reserve. He had to get back to Rose. He clenched his fists as even then he felt the psychic pull of whatever the Cerva had done to him. His fingers dug into his scalp as he concentrated on keeping himself free of her. Then it hit him, the kiss, the licking and nuzzling. She was using some natural psychotropic substance combined with pheromones. Even worse, he craved it like a drug addict. The thought of not having her near him was practically giving him a panic attack. He had to fight this. He entered a meditative state with one thing on his mind, Rose.

Soon the Cerva came scampering back to him. He broke his meditation and smiled at her. “Well now, that field was lovely and full of sweet grass wasn’t it? I thought you might enjoy that. Perhaps you're still hungry? How about some cheese crisps?” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a bag and popped it open and poured the contents on a plate. “For you, my lady,” he told her. While she nibbled on the crisps, he grabbed the harness leash and pulled out his sonic. When she was done, she scampered up to him.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” he said in a tight angry voice as he yanked the leash and practically dragged her back to the cart. “In!” he shouted at her. She backed away, trying to wiggle free from the harness. “That‘s not going to work. I took the liberty of strengthening it. Now you get in, or I’ll drag you beside while I ride comfortably in the cart.” She snorted and jumped into the cart. He got in and slapped the reins against the horse until they were racing down the path toward the main road.

Soon it was night, but he didn‘t stop. The Cerva transformed. “Why are you doing this. We were happy,” she shouted at him ,crying.

“Happy? Are you mad!" His voice was cold and sarcastic. "You manipulated me and kept me from Rose. She‘s been alone with that Keeper all this time, probably worried sick about me. Not to mention, that you violated me. I understand you don’t like being locked up, but what you did was wrong. All you had to do was ask for help. If you had asked me, instead of assaulting my mind and body, I would have helped you. Now…Just don’t.”

“How are you aware of this? You were mine,” she said petulantly crossing her arms.

“Maybe if I was human. But you see, I’m not entirely human. Oh, and you overlooked one very important thing.”

“What’s that,” she demanded.

“Rose. I love Rose and she loves me. There is no greater power in the multiverse.”

“Perhaps, but we’ll see how much she still loves you when we return." She smirked with a glint in her blue eyes. "The Keeper is very persuasive and incredible at everything he puts his mind too and I should know.”

The Doctor turned and looked at her triumphant smile and then back toward the road. “He knew about you?” he asked in a tight voice.

“Of course. I told you he used to spend time with me.” She huffed and tugged at the harness. “I don’t know why he stopped.”

“So he figured you out did he." The Doctor's jaw clenched. "I suppose that shows some strength of character. Still, he sent me off with you without the slightest warning. He and I will be having a chat.”

The rest of the night was spent in silence. Morning dawned and the Cerva was banging around the cart. “No, I’m not stopping. You’ll have to wait.” The little Cerva ran up to him in anger and bit him on the arm.

“Oww!" He winced and rubbed his arm glaring at her. "Why, you little….One more time, and you’ll be riding back bound up tight." Eventually, the Doctor did stop to have a bite to eat. He tied the Cerva to a tree and meditated to keep control of himself. After an hour, he loaded her up and continued on. They reached the Reserve just as the moon was rising. He soniced the gate open and entered the compound. He dragged the Cerva down the path toward the doors to the main house. He soniced them open as well and dragged her with him as the headed toward a room with music playing.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose tried to keep positive while the Doctor was gone but as each day went by without a word from him, her spirits fell and the foundation of her faith began to crumble. Jack did his best to cheer her up even going so far as to deliver breakfast to her in nothing more than a frilly apron and socks. Rose barely even noticed and thanked him for the tea as she stared out the window. Finally, a few days later, Jack had had enough and threatened to drag her outside for some fresh air. Rose finally complied and went walking with him.

“Rose, it’s been over a week. You can’t sit inside worrying about him. He’s fine. She’s not going to hurt him. She just wants to use him for a bit.”

Rose squeezed her eyes tight before her stomach dropped. “Jack, stop trying to make me feel better. You’re rubbish at it.” She walked away from him to lose herself on the grounds.

That night, she came down to have dinner with him.

“Rose, I’m sorry about earlier." He spoke with a solemnity. "I didn’t mean it exactly as it sounded. It’s just, I haven’t had much company here. It’s a bit lonely you know? You’re the first real company I’ve had in a very long time. Please, let’s just have dinner and chat some more.” 

Rose smiled and nodded her head and sat down next to him. From that point forward, she made more of an effort to get to know this Jack. She found him very similar and yet very different from her first Jack. He told her about his family and how he came to work for an interstellar security force and some of the adventures he experienced during his work. They talked music, books, movies and cultures. She told him some of the differences in her home universe compared to this one. He was completely and utterly enchanted by her stories.

When the Doctor had been gone a week, Rose had to answer Professor Tok’s call. She told him they had encountered a complication and asked him to call them back in another two weeks if he didn‘t hear from them. The call left her depressed. Jack brought her a double mocha latte. Two days later, Jackie called. She wanted to see Rose that afternoon. Rose tried to put her off without telling her why she couldn’t, but Jackie kept insisting. Soon Pete was on the phone, asking to speak to the Doctor about a diplomatic issue they had with an alien that had crashed into the Thames. Finally, Rose confessed they weren’t on Earth and wouldn’t be home for at least a week.

“What do you mean you’re not on Earth?” Pete asked, while Jackie screamed, “What!” in the background.

“Well, the Doctor sort of got us a lift-off world. You know he’s not used to being in one place for long. Don’t worry, everything’s fine. The Doctor’s friend is this scientist and their talking scientific stuff.”

“Uh huh. Rose, why didn’t you tell us about this?”

“You know the Doctor.”

“I want to speak to him.” Pete's voice was firm.

“He’s not here. He went out to visit a monument. Um, Pete, I have to go. We’re staying with someone and being on the phone’s considered a bit rude. We’ll call you when we get back.”

“Rose?” Pete's voice softened.

“Yeah?”

“Just tell me you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I’m always okay. I’ll see you soon. Bye.”

After that call, Jack brought her a big piece of double fudge espresso cake.

Rose and Jack became ultimately comfortable with each other and it didn’t take long for a close friendship to develop. This Jack, like her first Jack, loved pop culture and music and had an incredible collection of old Earth hits. On the night of the Doctor’s return, Jack convinced her to try some Karaoke. He pulled out some equipment that he had delivered to the Reserve and they took turns belting out old Earth Pop Rock. When the Doctor returned, Rose and Jack were in the formal dining room singing Conga by Gloria Estevan dancing their way across a massive formal dining room table. The music was so loud it practically vibrated the windows throughout the whole house.

The Doctor entered the room dragging the Cerva woman behind him. Jack and Rose stared at him. Jack turned off the music

“You’re back,” Jack uttered in astonishment.

“Surprised, are you Keeper? The little shape shifter is quite a manipulative little thing isn’t she,” the Doctor snapped. He turned to Rose “Are you all right?” Rose just stared at him her hand dropping to the bracelet he had given her oh so long ago. Jack hopped down off the table and offered Rose his hand to help her down. She looked at the Doctor and the Cerva standing behind him.

“So, I guess you had quite a trip then, didn’t you, Doctor,” she said as shock turned to anger.

The Doctor was tired, his head ached and he wasn't happy to find Rose dancing on a table with Keeper. “Looks like you weren’t exactly worried were you?" he said in a cold voice. "Apparently, you had entertainment.” He stared daggers at Jack.

“Now wait just a minute,” Jack started, before being interrupted by Rose.

“Don’t you dare! You don’t get to say anything." She stood protectively by Jack. "Jack has been a perfect gentlemen and a good friend while you were off living it up with your tarty deer woman. No, let me correct myself, your naked, tarty deer woman!”

“Jack! You’re calling him Jack. He isn’t Jack, Rose! He’s some perverted playboy trying to get into your knickers!" The Doctor shouted, his pulse pounding with fury. "And I wouldn’t call being psychically manipulated living it up!”

“You’re wrong!" Rose spat back, her face flushed with her own anger. "While you and the hussy back there were rolling around in the moonlit fields or out dancing it up, I was beside myself with worry having to tell somthing to Professor Tok and explain things to Pete and my Mum!”

“You see, my love. She doesn’t understand," the Cerva purred. "She doesn’t appreciate you like I do. Just look at the common little human. All she’s worried about is getting home to her little planet,” the Cerva said, cuddling up to the Doctor’s side.

“No one’s talking to you, Bimbo Bambi!” Rose shouted shaking in fury as she clenched her fists.

“Is the primitive human trying to insult me? I do not understand the words?” the Cerva asked the Doctor.

The Doctor burst out laughing. “Bimbo Bambi? Really?”

Rose was not laughing. “Did you even make it to the monument? We need to just finish this up once and for all and send the little strumpet back to her cage where she can’t hurt anyone.”

“I know what she did was wrong," the Doctor said, his anger ebbing. "But I’m not sure if it’s worth being locked up forever. There has to be something we can do with her,” the Doctor continued, trying to bring some reason into the conversation.

“Doctor, I think it’s time we had a chat about what this Reserve really is. I don’t think you know,” Jack said meeting the Doctor's gaze.

The Doctor rubbed at his face before looking at the Cerva. 

“Please, beloved, don’t lock me away. You know we had a lovely time. Besides, if your love for this primitive girl is as strong as your proclaim, how did I seduce you so easily,” the Cerva said, walking up to him slowly.

“Enough!” the Doctor shouted, the oncoming storm reflected in his eyes. He dragged her through the house out the door and toward the Cerva habitat. She cried and begged him not to do this the whole way. Rose crumbled into a chair with her face in her hands.

Jack knelt beside her. “Rose, I’m so sorry. What can I do?”

“She’s right,” Rose cried.

“No she’s not. It’s obvious he loves you. There is no way he could have broken her spell if he didn’t love you,” Jack told her, quietly.

“Yeah, well you broke her spell. Was it cause you loved someone?”

“Yeah Rose, it was. Only my someone is far away and I’ll never see him again,” Jack said, sliding to the floor next to her. Neither of them realized that the Doctor was standing in the door listening to them.

“Rose, I did make it to the monument," the Doctor said softly. "We’re done. Why don’t you give me your phone, and I’ll call Tok,” the Doctor asked her gently.

Rose stood up and looked at him and handed him her mobile. She touched her bracelet. “You know this bracelet works both ways. Every once and a while I…I would um, get a glimpse of you. I saw you with her and… I, I can’t do this right now. Just call Tok or do whatever. I’ll see you in the morning,” Rose said, tears streaming down her face and her voice cracking. She ran up the stairs and a door slammed. The Doctor stared at her phone and looked at Jack.

“Wow. That was intense and heartbreaking. I’m sorry, Doctor. I like Rose. I don’t like seeing her hurt. She’s had a tough couple of weeks here. She’s also been a good friend to me. I can see why you love her," a soft smile cracked his face. "She’s a charmer. It’s been so long since I’ve had someone to really talk to and someone who listened to me.”

“I’m sorry Keeper. Maybe you aren’t as bad as I first believed." The Doctor nodded. "You should work on your first impression though.” The Doctor collapsed into a chair. “You said this Reserve is more than I think. What does that mean?”

“It means it’s filled with creatures that are unusual and dangerous. Not all are from this timeline and after talking with Rose, maybe not even this universe.” This captured the Doctor’s attention.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean there are things here that I can’t identify and I have access to just about any records in the universe here due to whoever or whatever is holding me here.” Jack then proceeded to tell him of all that had happened from the moment he arrived.

“I am so sorry." The Doctor meant it. He could see how being locked away in one place, even a luxurious home, could be wearing. He wasn't the Jack he knew. He'd suffered worse, separated from everyone he knew and loved with an obligation foisted on him he didn't ask for. "Why didn’t your agency come after you?” the Doctor asked.

“Don’t know." Jack shook his head slowly and poured himself a drink. "Do you think you can help me?”

“Maybe, once I get our TARDIS up and running. Should be pretty close in a few months. Can you hold out here a bit longer?”

“After a century, what’s a few months.” Jack shrugged.

“You know you’re similar to the Jack in our original universe and yet not. He was wrong, a fixed point, but you, you remind me of Rose a bit. Not exactly, but time doesn‘t move the same around you,” the Doctor told him, putting on his brainy specs and sonicing him. Jack smiled brightly and wolf whistled at him.

“Now that’s what I’m talkig about! Gorgeous and brainy! I like it!”

“Oh, stop it! Really, even in the alternate universe you’re the same,” the Doctor said, glaring at him. Jack just laughed.

The Doctor called Tok and arranged for them to be picked up the next day. In the morning, Rose walked down stairs dressed in her jeans and hoody and looked at the Doctor and Jack drinking tea and chatting amicably.

“So, you ready to leave Rose?” the Doctor asked her, trying to keep his tone light. She nodded and walked over to Jack and hugged him fiercely. 

“We’ll be back. I promise.” She walked over and stood by the Doctor. Her mobile rang and they were transmatted to Tok’s ship. He was his cheerful, inquisitive self and began regaling the Doctor about the symposium he attended. Rose sat quietly in a corner. The Doctor tried to draw her into conversations but she only answered with one syllable words. It was a long trip back to Earth.

When they arrived back at the manor, Perry was there waiting for them. He explained Jackie had been there and was not happy.

“It’s okay, Perry. I’ll take care of Mum. Thanks for watching over the TCB again," Rose said with a weak smile.

“Yes, Perry, we do appreciate you. Rose, where are you going,” the Doctor asked as Rose walked over to a table in the entryway and picked up her purse, keys and coat.

“I’m going to Mum’s for a while.”

“No. We have to talk,” the Doctor said firmly.

“Doctor, a lot happened on Crescere. I think we both have a lot of thinking to do. Mum and Pete were a bit upset with us when I told them we were off world. I promised I’d talk to them when we got back. I think it’s best I go over there now. I’ll be back in a few days.”

“But Rose, I can’t let you go like this. Please don’t go. Please stay, talk to me.”

“I will, Doctor, just not right now. I promise I’ll be back. Please just give me time.”

“All right. I can do that. It’s just, I want you to know how very sorry I am for what happened.” He reached for her his throat tight fear at the thought of losing her.

Rose turned and looked at him for the first time in hours. “I know. I know it wasn’t all your fault. It just hurts right now. I still love you and always will. Like I said, I just need time.” Rose turned and closed the door behind her.

The Doctor fell to his knees and looked at the door and whispered, “I love you.”


	21. Healing and Garden Wisdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor are home and still reeling from the ordeal with the Cerva. Rose decided she needed time to think so went visit her Mum and Pete. TCB - Temporal Creature Below and Perry make another appearance to help our beloved couple recover from their last adventure.
> 
> Special note: There is a reference in here inspired by a who in whoville. Thanks for giving me a boost of confidence when I was writing about Tarty Deer Woman.

Rose arrived at the Tyler mansion late in the afternoon. The minute she walked in the door, Jackie was in full interrogator mode.

“Where have you been? Exactly what is he up to this time?" she demanded hands planted on her hips. "I thought you two were settled now. Is it not enough to live in a bloomin’ haunted house that he has to drag you back onto some dangerous planet? Well?” Jackie asked her, as she walked with Rose into the kitchen. Rose sank into a chair as the cook set a cup of tea in front of her.

“Thanks, Maggie," Rose acknowledged with a weak smile. "Mum, it’s not like that. The Doctor was tinkering around and developed an interstellar communication thing. Sort of Universal Facebook. He and Professor Tok have been talking about scientific theories and stuff.”

Just as Jackie was about to comment, Pete walked into the kitchen. “Stuff, what sort of stuff. Tell me he’s not instigating some interstellar war,” Pete asked her, looking a bit concerned.

“Pete, I’ve met Professor Tok. He’s a research scientist sort of like Malcolm. The Doctor asked for a lift off world to got to this garden planet. Professor Tok was on his way to a seminar and so he just gave us a lift." Rose tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "He was real polite and he the Doctor talked all this theoretical stuff. I may have dozed off a bit honestly.” Rose picked up a chocolate covered biscuit and started to nibble on it.

“Rose, you can’t just take off without telling anyone!" Jackie admonished. "What if something happened? What about Pete, Tony and me. Did you even think about us?”

“Of course!" Rose responded, irritation mixing with the insecurities and tumultuous feelings about the Doctor. "It’s not like your making it out. It was just suppose to be a quick trip is all and things got complicated.”

“Complicated how, Rose?” Pete asked, taking a seat at the table.

Rose finished her biscuit and delicately licked her fingers. “Well, we ran into this universe’s Jack Harkness," she admitted slowly. "He runs this Reserve there. He’s like my first Jack but different. These biscuits are good.” She reached for another hoping if she shoved enough in her mouth it would delay their questions.

Jackie and Pete looked at each other. “Jack, he’s the gorgeous, flirty one in the coat with the piercing blue eyes isn’t he?“ Jackie asked.

Rose smiled. “Yeah that’s him.” She reached for another biscuit and Jackie slapped her hand. “No more, You’ll spoil dinner. Now what else and why didn’t you tell us?” Jackie asked.

Rose shrugged staring at the plate of biscuits. “You know the Doctor, he just sort of decided on the drive home after the charity dinner and we just left. We would have been back in a few days if he hadn’t of gotten a bit…distracted,” Rose answered.

“Distracted,” Pete asked, his eyebrows arched up?

“Yeah, you know how he is," Rose mumbled shoving crumbs around the table before reaching for a paper napkin. "Sees something gold and shiny and loses track of what he was doing or when he was supposed to be back,” Rose told them, staring at a napkin she had now ripped to shreds.

“Right, gold, shiny and distracted. Rose, you really expect us to believe that?” Jackie asked.

Rose looked up at Jackie with unshed tears in her eyes. “Please Mum, I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just say we had a bit of tiff and it’s over now. He needs to think about things and so do I.”

“Oh Rose. You know you can talk to me." Jackie's voice softened and she rested a hand on Rose's forearm. "Do you need me to go over there and beat some sense into that daft alien. You know I will."

“No Mum, it’s fine. Just stuff we have to work out is all.”

“So I gather I don’t have any alien invasions to worry about?” Pete asked leaning back in chair watching Rose.

“No, course not and everything’s fine with the manor," Rose explained, staring into her tea. "We gave Perry instructions about the rift monitor and he had my cell to call in an emergency. I promise Pete, we were responsible about it.”

“Responsible would have been not going or telling us what you were doing” Jackie quipped.

“Mum, we’re adults and capable of making our own decisions.” Rose had lost patience. She'd always walked a fine line with her mum about what was her life and her choices.

“I think dinner’s ready,” Pete said in an attempt to head off a Tyler woman battle.

Dinner was civil and quiet. Rose made sure to keep the subject on Torchwood and Tony. After dinner, Pete asked her to step into his office to talk about some more Torchwood matters. He started off all business but soon was pouring Rose a glass of cognac.

“So, you going to tell me what’s really going on?” Pete asked in the soft, cajoling way that always encouraged Rose to talk.

Rose looked at him and sighed. “In the Reserve we were visiting was this golden deer that the Doctor was escorting to this monument on the planet. Problem was, it wasn’t any regular deer. It turned into this naked, blond girl at night. She kissed him and made him forget about me. She made him fall in love with her.” Rose stopped as the tears fell down her cheeks. 

Pete handed her a tissue. “It took him almost two weeks to figure out he felt wrong and she was manipulating him. Apparently, something in her kiss did it. At least that’s what he says. Jack knew what she was. He never told the Doctor and didn‘t tell me till the Doctor was gone. He said he figured the Doctor knew." She dabbed at her eyes. "I’m not real sure how to feel about that. All I know is while the Doctor was gone, I was worried. 

"Jack was real nice to me and kept cheering me up. When the Doctor got back, he was dragging this deer tart behind him, naked!" She sipped her drink. "And he had the nerve to accuse me of not worrying about him cause he found Jack and I singing. Him accusing me!" She paused and sipped her drink again before continuing as anger combined with the cognac heated her face.

"Oh and his tart had to mouth off as well." She paused and inhaled a deep breath as she fought for control over her emotions. "Anyway, turns out he threw her back in her pen and said he was sorry. He didn’t know about her or how she could manipulate him and all. He explained that she oozed some pheromone stuff that effected him and forced him to do things and made him forget. We left and came home.

"And The worst part is I know that he feels bad and wants to talk about it. I know that he’s hurting but I just don’t know what to do. I keep thinking that maybe he’s bored of me and deep down he wanted to be with someone new. Pete, I just needed to get away from him to think things through.”

Pete put his arms around her and told her it would be all right. “You want me to go over and have talk with him? I’m sure Jake would like the opportunity to shake some sense into him,” he teased. Rose smiled. “Thanks but I think if anyone shakes sense into him, it better be me and besides, I think he needs to take me to dinner and dancing so we could make up properly.”

“That’s my girl," Pete growled and squeezed her shoulder. "Remember, you’re a Tyler woman. You don’t back down from a fight. Last time you two were in my office, seems you were willing to fight to marry your own way. You willing to fight for him, for your life together?”

“Yes! I love him." She didn't hesitate with her declaration. And smiled as she realized she was ready to fight for him and them. "You’re right. I’ll head back to the manor first thing in the morning. Thanks, Pete!”

Little did Pete and Rose know, Jackie had been eavesdropping on the whole conversation and was quite focused and outraged over the tarty deer woman. Life for the Doctor would never be the same again.

The next morning Rose was finishing her tea in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Jackie went to answer it. The next thing Rose heard was shouting.

“You cheating, alien git! I knew you shouldn’t be trusted! How dare you show you face here!”

Thunk! 

Rose ran out to see what had happened but she already had visions of what had occurred. There, lying crumpled on the floor with his hands on his face as blood dripped on the marble floor was the Doctor. Jackie stood over him her hands on her hips still shouting at him.

“Did you leave the alien tarty deer girl at home today! You’re sick you know. Don’t you even think of showing your face in my house again and you stay away from my boy. I won’t have him corrupted by some pervert who fools around with alien bambi!”

“Mum! Stop it!" Rose shouted. "What have you done!” She ran over to the Doctor and cradled him in her arms and gently pulled his hands away to see a very broken Time Lord nose. “Oh Doctor! Oh I am so sorry.”

“Mum why?” She directed a horrified look at her mother.

“Why? He cheated on you with some alien deer hussy!”

The Doctor sat up and looked at Rose. “You told her!”

“Of course I didn’t tell her. Mum, were you listening to me and Pete talk?” Rose's face heated with resentment and anger at the thought her conversation with Pete had not been private.

“Well I might have heard some things while I walked by the door….” Jackie said, a bit sheepishly.

“Might of heard some things! Well maybe you should of heard the part where the tart manipulated him with some pheromone stuff.”

“How was I to know what furmoon stuff is!" Jackie defended. "All I know is my baby was crying her heart out over some weird alien hussy and himself had convinced my baby she wasn’t good enough so he was moving on to greener pastures! Oh, and why is it you could tell Pete but not me!”

“Cause Pete wouldn’t have taken off and smacked the Doctor!" Rose was not shaking with anger and shouting. "God!" She looked at the Doctor and her voice softened. "I'm so sorry." She ran a hand through his hair before darting annoyed looks at her mother who was equally flushed and sptting fire. "Mum, can you please Just go get some ice and a flannel.” Jackie sighed and left to go to the kitchen. Rose looked at the Doctor with sorrow in her eyes.

“Doctor, I swear I would never tell her like that. Pete and I were talking in his office. I was going to come home this morning. You look terrible.” She ran her fingers across his stubble covered jaw noting dark circles under his eyes.

With a hand still holding his nose he nodded. “It was an awful night without you. Rose, I just want us to talk. Why does Jackie think I’m bored and don’t want to be with you?”

Rose looked at the floor and paused before answering him. “Well, it’s just after everything that happened and after what the Cerva said, I started thinking that maybe deep down it’s what you wanted. Maybe you feel like your obligated to stay and don’t want to be here. Maybe I’m…” Rose paused to try and pull herself together. “I’m not enough. You’re used to traveling all the time and having all these companions…”

“Stop right there." He sat up and with one hand gripping his nose, he reached to tip her chin up. "Now listen to me Rose Tyler. I could NEVER be bored with you. Who agreed to move into a potentially haunted house with me and was practically bouncing with me to get into the scary sub floor? And went off to face a dragon with me? You that’s who. How many people share things like that? Not many, I can tell you.” Without thinking he released his nose and leaned over to kiss her. He winced when he bumped his nose on her face. But the pain was nothing compared to the prior night. He whispered in her ear. “I love you and only you.”

Jackie appeared with ice and a flannel. “Thanks Mum. I think we should head home now. Thanks for letting me spend the night. We’ll take that shopping trip we talked about another day, yeah?”

“Fine, if that’s what you want." She shifted her feet and crossed her arms. "I suppose I’m sorry, Doctor. One day when you two have children, you’ll understand about being protective and not wanting other people to hurt your kids.”

“Yeah, I think I got it, Jackie. Uh, think I’ll just be leavin’ now,” he said, backing out with the ice pack on his face. Rose picked up her purse and keys, hugged Jackie and then followed him out to the car. Rose drove them home while the Doctor iced his face and mumbled about Jackie, dragons, deadly force and Earth’s last defense. Rose put on some music to try and soften the mood.

“So Doctor, how did you get over here without the car?”

“Derek at the pub gave me a ride into London last night. I caught a bus this morning and walked,” he answered, with a muffled voice as he continued to press ice to his nose.

“Doctor, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you spend the night at the Manor?

“It’s complicated,” was all he answered. The rest of the ride was in silence. When she pulled into the manor and walked up to the door the Doctor hesitated.

“Doctor, what’s wrong?”

“Uh, the TCB may be a bit cross with me.”

“Cross? Whatever for? Did you annoy her with too much maintenance?”

“What! No! I didn’t do anything. She just wasn’t overly happy with our misunderstanding is all,” he said, looking at the door suspiciously while still holding the ice pack to his nose.

Rose walked up to the door and put her hand on it. The door opened automatically. She looked over her shoulder to the Doctor and walked in. The Doctor followed her but the door slammed in his face. Rose heard an “Ommph” and a crash. She tried the door but it wouldn’t open.

“Doctor! Are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m always okay.”

Rose leaned her forehead against the door. In her mind, she saw a picture of the kitchen with a tea service. She looked down at the floor. “So, you want to have a chat with me in private? Okay, we can do that but really, he’s had a bad morning. Mum may have broken his nose.” 

The next thing Rose saw was a picture of Tony in a giggling fit rolling around on the floor. Rose couldn't help but smile at that and walked into the kitchen. She sat down at the table where a warm cuppa awaited along with a plate of biscuits. “So, I guess you figured out we had a little problem on Crescere.” The lights flashed. “Yeah. We had a lot of misunderstandings and then there was the Cerva.” 

When Rose said “Cerva” a vision of a scantily dressed pole dancer appeared in her head. Rose snickered. “Yeah, well there were special circumstances. He is part human after all and you know how blokes can be.” The lights flashed again and a pint of Crème Brulee ice cream appeared in front of her. Rose laughed. “Thanks. It’s nice to be home and I missed you too. But really love, we need to let him in.”

The TCB then showed Rose visions of the Doctor slamming doors; ripping apart equipment that didn’t need to be repaired; and finally, performing percussive maintenance in places it wasn’t necessary. The TCB having peeked into the Doctor’s thoughts during such activity, took great offense. Not only to the Doctor’s destructive therapy, but to the fact the Doctor allowed the situation with the Cerva to occur and escalate they way it had. The TCB conveyed her thoughts to Rose in pictures of the Doctor being shocked, doors slamming in this face, faucets exploding on him and finally all electricity being turned off and interior doors locked until the Doctor left.

“No wonder he looks unshaven and rumpled,” Rose said cradling the cuppa and shaking her head. “Well it was an accident and I understand that now.” 

The TCB showed Rose a picture of a tall impenetrable wall. “Yeah, I know he keeps bragging on his mental barriers but they didn’t work this time. I think it bothers him too.” The next thing the TCB showed her was the two of them kissing in the library and finally the Tardis nursery. “Yes, I want that too and so does he. Please, let him in now. I promise, we’ll work it out and I’ll talk to him about venting his frustrations on you.” The room brightened.

Meanwhile, in the garden, Perry found the Doctor standing staring at the Manor. “Doctor, you appear to be troubled. Perhaps I may assist you?”

“I don’t think anyone can help me, Perry,” he answered, sadly thrusting his hands into his pockets and staring off into the distance.

“You know Doctor, sometimes you find a patch in the garden where all the plant life appears lost and the once vibrant growing plants are now wilting and turning brown. One would think that the life that once existed is extinguished forever. The truth is that many of the plants will come back even stronger with new growth and even brighter blooms.”

The Doctor smiled. “Yeah, but what if a weed forced it’s way into the garden and changed a strong and healthy plant into what the weed wanted it to be. Sort of like when a flower that is yellow suddenly blooms red and yellow.”

“And when the weed is removed, the plant remains, changed, but stronger than what it was. It adapts and outlives the weed.”

The Doctor sat on a bench and looked up at Perry. “But what about the violation of the plant. Now the plant has to live on marked by what the weed did to it. What if it thought it was strong and nothing could harm it. Now, it’s forced to admit its vulnerable and a failure and its new bloom is a symbol of its failure and how it can never undo what the weed did.”

“But don’t you see Doctor, that’s the beauty of nature. The true strength was not what it believed it was but what it did. It adapted, survived and flourished. If faced with another weed, it may even adapt its own defenses to prevent further damage. Strength comes from adversity and adapting to the circumstances.”

The Doctor looked up at Perry with wonder. “Thank you, Perry.”

“Sometimes Doctor, its good to stop and feel the life around you and realize, you are amongst many living things and not alone in the world.”

When Rose found the Doctor, he was laying on the stone patio with his eyes closed. “Doctor!” she shouted, as she ran outside to him and knelt by his side. “Please tell me you’re all right!”

“Oh yes, just feeling the garden is all,” he answered.

“Okaaaay,” Rose answered slowly, looking at him with concern furrowing her brow. “The TCB and I had a nice chat and I think we’ve worked out everything.”

The Doctor looked up at her. “And how did you do that?” he asked, his tone clipped.

“Well, we don’t exactly talk. It’s more like pictures. She showed me what happened between the two of you. I promised her we would make up and I wouldn’t let you destroy anything. She’s concerned about us and the TARDIS nursery.”

He stared at her for a long time before standing up. In the aftermath of Crescere he'd forgotten how connected Rose and the TCB were. They walked inside together hand in hand and he led her upstairs. Rose made him take a shower and they sat down and talked about everything. There would be a long road ahead of them to rebuild trust and for the Doctor to recover from the Cerva‘s shattering of his psychic barriers. For the next few weeks, they spent time remembering what drew them together. They watched movies debated books, played games and engaged in a rousing cook-off. They also worked around the house and in the TARDIS nursery together as a team.

A few weeks later in the TARDIS nursery, Perry and the Doctor could see a change in the young coral. “Look at this Perry, they are just growing by leaps and bounds!” the Doctor exclaimed.

“I believe the new nutritional supplement we developed has been most successful," Perry agreed. "They also appear to grow at an exponential rate with you and Rose nurturing them. It has been especially satisfying for me to see the bond and relationship you and Rose are developing with the young coral. I sense the burgeoning relationship amongst you.”

“Really? You can feel that?" the Doctor asked with yearning. "I wish I was a bit more aware of it. Naturally, I feel the prickling of sentience in them but nothing so intimate as a bond yet. Although, I have to say, the eldest coral seems to be stretching out and reaching for something. I wish I had studied more about TARDIS horticulture at the Academy.”

Rose walked in with a picnic basket. “Hello! Thought we might picnic here today.”

“Thank you Rose, but I must attend to a particular stubborn patch of thistle in the back garden. Do enjoy your picnic,” Perry said and patted her on the shoulder as he walked out.

“What’s for lunch?” the Doctor asked bounding over to her.

Rose set the basket down and spread out a light blue table cloth and set out a thermos, sandwiches, crisps, and banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. “Ooooo banana cupcakes!” the Doctor exclaimed with a happy squeak in his voice.

“Yep, I picked up the cupcakes, sandwiches and crisps from the pub,” she explained, pouring him a cup of tea. When she picked up the crisps, she realized they were the same cheese crisps they had on Crescere which the Doctor had fed to the Cerva and she hesitated.

“Rose, we talk about these things now. Remember?” His voice was encouraging.

“Sorry. I didn’t think about it until just now. I know it’s silly but the last time you had cheese crisps was on Crescere and you know.” she answered, setting them down and started playing with her hair.

“Rose, I love you. Don’t blame the cheese crisps for what happened on Crescere.”

Rose stared at him for a moment before she burst out laughing. “Yeah, cause obviously the cheese crisps had an evil plan to torment us.” Soon they were both laughing.

“So, since we can laugh about it, does it mean we’re all right now?” the Doctor asked her.

“Doctor, I think we both had a lot happen on Crescere and I think we both agreed that we’re okay. It just reminded us how much we love each other and how important it is that we take care and work together on things. These Eternals will try anything to pull us apart and fail at these tasks," Rose assured and laced her fingers with his. "Oh, and just to be clear, it‘ll take more than some tarty deer woman to shove me off. Don‘t think I won‘t fight for you. Some tart tries to steal you away, she better be ready for a smack down.”

He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead. “I won’t allow anyone to come between us again,” he said with conviction. She pulled him down to her and proceeded to show him exactly how hard she would fight for him and how much they belonged to each other... Later, they would learn that intimacy in the TARDIS nursery had unintended and not entirely undesirable consequences.

That night they had dinner in the garden beneath the stars. “So, would you like to hear about the next task?” he asked her.

“Yeah, suppose we have to. Are we running short on time?”

“Naw, we’ll be okay. It’s on Earth. So this one is based on the Erymanthian Boar which lived on Mt Erymanthos," the Doctor explained swirling his wine. "Hercules was tasked with capturing it and returning it to King Eurystheus. So good old Herc decided to visit his centaur friend for help. While they sat down for a chat, Pholus opened wine that drew other centaurs in the area. 

"They got drunk and attacked Hercules. He ended up using the blood poisoned arrows, which as you will recall, he poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, to kill the mad centaurs. Well, mad, drunken centaurs aside, his friend did give him a tip on how to capture the Boar. He drove the Boar into a snow bank to slow it down and got it stuck. He bound it and brought back to the king who was afraid of it and told him to take it away. He threw it into the sea where it…well you get the idea.”

“Right, we have to face drunken centaurs and catch a really big pig,” Rose clarified with a nod.

“Wellll, not exactly. You see a boar is a bit different from a cute little pig. They have tusks and they’re big and aggressive. This particular boar lives in Maharashtra province in India. Apparently, there are worshippers of the Boar which is called the Harav. The Harav appeared in a village near Kalasubai which is the tallest peak in the region. It’s said that the fields became fertile and the village prospered so they sort of erected a shrine to it, fed it and basically provided for it. Soon word traveled and a group calling themselves the Chosen of the Harav showed up and built it a temple.”

“So we’re going to India to meet this Harav and its worshippers and then what?”

“We sortofhavetosing to it,” he said quickly and tugged at his ear.

Rose giggled and reached for her wine. “Is that all? Just go to India and meet the worshipped pig and sing it a song. That’s easy!”

“Not exactly." The Doctor drew out his words with a frown. "You see they’re a bit protective of it and don’t allow outsiders near it. It’s also in a bit of a remote area and not many know how to get there. Oh, and the song is an ancient Hindi love song and must be sung perfectly in Hindi at the culmination of the Festival of the Beloved Harav.”

“We’re signing the pig a love song in Hindi?” Rose gulped her wine.

“Yep! Don’t worry, we’ll stop off in Mumbai and get some help to make sure we can sing it properly. Won’t work if we don’t sing it perfectly.”

“And when is this festival?”

“Fifteen days."

“Right, so I need to arrange transport to India.” Rose tapped her fingers on the table.

“What? No I’ve been working on planetary transport for us,” the Doctor announced.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, it’s a more advanced version of the Multispacial Transinducer.”

“Are you sure?" Rose drawled. "I mean we’re not going to end up in the Indian Ocean or anything?”

“Well uh no, course not, unless the GPS is wrong.” He wrinkled his nose and looked up whispering calculations.

Rose glared at him. “Okay fine, we'll do a test first just to be sure.” After promising the test, he pouted the rest of the night. The next day went by quickly. Rose let Pete and her Mum know they were going on a trip to India and yes that is India the country on Earth not any other planet. The Doctor completed his test with perfect results. Perry wished them well and they promised to see him in a couple of weeks.

They arrived in an alley in Mumbai in the heart of the modern city. It was hot and steamy and Rose felt wilted within a few short minutes cursing how her jeans stuck to her skin. Even the Doctor seemed to feel the heat and quickly removed his jacket. They headed toward the outskirts of the city and found an open air market. The market was filled with the scents of spices, animals, food and people.

“This is just so alive!” the Doctor told Rose grinning. “Doesn’t it remind you of the market on Ilandinmal?”

“Yeah, except a bit more human,” Rose said. She and the Doctor walked by the various stalls looking at spices, food, woven goods and pottery. Rose delighted in the market and was happy that she had the Doctor’s bracelet so she would have no problem with understanding and speaking Hindi. It was a shame that the bracelet wouldn’t do for the song they needed to sing. As they walked, the Doctor felt a slight pressure and whipped around to grab the hand of a boy of no more than fifteen years. In the boy’s hand was the wallet with his psychic paper.

“Now where were you going with that?”

“Let go of me! I’m no thief!" the boy shouted. "You tricked me!” The boy tugged to get away. One of the vendors came over to the Doctor. “I saw him do it! This boy is a thief and I’ve seen him in this market before. He stole produce from my Uncle’s stall!”

The Doctor and Rose looked at the thin boy dressed in traditional loose white clothing with short black hair and rebellious brown eyes. “Where’s your family?” the Doctor asked.

“I haven’t got any. Now let me go!”

“No family huh. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?” Rose asked.

“I’m not a charity case and I won’t go to an orphanage.”

The Doctor smiled. “Of course your not and I’m not taking you to an orphanage. I’m paying you as a guide.” The boy was stunned. “So, if I’m going to be paying you, you’re going to have to tell me your name,” the Doctor asked him.

“Vishal and I’m very expensive and the best guide in Maharashtra province.”


	22. Song of the Most Holy Pig

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor have arrived in Mumbai. While in a market they met a teenage pick pocket by the name of Vishal. Their journey to find the worshiped pig continues as they seek guidance to learn how to sing the Hindi love song and find a guide to take them to the Temple of the Harav.

“Well Vishal, I only travel with the best! I’m the Doctor by the way and this is Rose. So, why don’t we pick up some lunch and talk about why we’re here.”

“Fine, we’ll eat and then you’ll tell me what you want to see and how much you’ll pay me,” Vishal announced tilting his chin up in defiance.

“It’s a deal,” the Doctor said, shaking Vishal’s hand.

They picked up some bananas, paneer coconut balls and papri chaat which were crispy fried dough wafers served with boiled potatoes, boiled chick peas, chilis, yogurt and tamarind chutney topped with chaat masala. They found a shady spot and sat down to eat and talk.

“So, Vishal have you lived here all your life?” Rose asked him, while enjoying one of the paneer coconut balls.

“Why does it matter?” he answered defiantly, shoving food in his mouth.

“All right. Enough with the tough attitude," the Doctor said, peeling a banana. "We know you’re smart and quite capable, Vishal. What we don’t know is how well you know this area and whether or not someone is looking for you. Now then, I expect you to answer our questions. After all, how do we know if your worth what we’re willing to pay you?” the Doctor asked.

“I was born here. No one knows this city like I do," Vishal insisted. "No one’s looking for me. No one really cares as long as I’m not a burden,” he told them, eyeing the papri chat that Rose was unwrapping.

“So who thinks you’re a burden?” Rose asked, passing more food to him.

“No one. I take care of myself.” Vishal answered her, gobbling down some of the papri chaat.

“Vishal, who are you avoiding?” asked the Doctor, snatching some of the coconut balls from Rose.

Vishal paused in between bites of food and then looked the Doctor in the eyes. “My cousins and Great Uncle. They’re poor and only want me to work to earn them money. I work for my own money.”

Rose looked at the Doctor frowning and nervously crumpling the paper bag. “Vishal, have you ever been outside the city?” she asked.

“No, but I can find you a guide to wherever you want and I’ll go with you to make sure you’re not cheated. That is, if you pay me.” He leaned back and eyed them suspciously.

“4,500 Rupees, part now and part when we’re finished," the Doctor said aiming a pointed look at Vishal. "That’s enough to help get you out of your situation don’t you think?” 

Vishal maintained a neutral face. “5,000,” he responded, firmly.

“4,500, Vishal. That’s it. I expect you to help us around the city and find a guide to the Temple of the Harav near Mt. Kalasubai,” the Doctor told him, smiling at the boy‘s spirit.

“You drive a hard bargain, Doctor. Done.”

The Doctor smiled. “That’s my boy! Now, Rose and I need help with a song. It’s an ancient traditional Hindi love song. Know anyone who could help us?”

Vishal grinned. “I know just the person!” They finished lunch and Vishal guided them through the city with a running monologue giving them the history of buildings and people they passed. As they dodged in and out of the narrow streets, Rose was amazed at the stark contrast of how the people in the less affluent area lived versus the modern section of Mumbai. They passed some stone and brick buildings but some that were nothing more than corrugated steal thrown together. Everywhere they passed, people smiled and waived at Vishal. The people may not have the contemporary life of those that live in the more developed city, but Rose felt the spirit and heart of this community. Finally, they arrived at a small nondescript beige colored stone brick building. As soon as they entered, they were met by a middle aged gray-haired Hindu woman dressed in an orange sari.

“Doctor, Rose this is Abhaya. She is the guru of this ashram. Abhaya, these are my friends the Doctor and Rose,” Vishal introduced.

“Greetings, Doctor and Rose. Welcome to Mumbai. You have traveled a great distance. Come, rest your minds. This evening we will discuss your journey.”

“Thank you Abhaya,” Rose said, taking the Doctor’s hand and following her through the ashram to a simple room with a bed, a table and chair. Abhaya pointed to a community bath just outside the living quarters area. The Doctor and Rose spent the afternoon exploring the ashram and met various people from all over the world and all walks of life who had come here to learn from the guru. They settled in the courtyard around a fountain fanning their flushed skin from the afternoon heat.

“Hello, I’m Helen and this Charlie, you’re new here aren’t you?” a middle aged American couple greeted.

“Yes, I’m the Doctor and this is Rose. We just popped in for a quick lesson.”

“A quick Lesson?” asked Charlie. “You do understand that the road to inner tranquility and enlightenment is not something you just get by snapping your fingers. You don’t just wake up and say ‘done!’ It’s all about the journey. I’ve been here a year and I’m still learning what it all means.”

“A year? You’ve been here an entire year!” the Doctor said, incredulously.

“Doctor,” Rose interrupted, before he said something embarrassing.

“Thanks Charlie, but we’re not quite ready for that. We just arrived and stopped off on our way on an expedition. The guru was kind enough to meet with us to talk about a Hindu song we’re studying.”

“Oh, you’re path is the way of harmony and lyric!" Helen exclaimed. "I’ve heard the guru speak of it but never met anyone who followed it. How fascinating. I can see why a Doctor might choose that path. Music is quite mathematical isn’t it. Of course, it’s more about how it harmonizes with your soul and guides you to a new level of understanding.”

Rose saw the Doctor roll his eyes and could see he was about to start lecturing. “Yes, well we have a meeting with Abhaya tonight to talk about it.”

“You have a private meeting with the guru? But you only just arrived and no one get’s a private meeting with the guru until they reach the first level” Charlie said, a little perturbed.

The Doctor smiled smugly. “Well Charlie my boy, some of us just naturally ascend without all that boring meditation.”

Rose slapped his shoulder. “Sorry Charlie, what the Doctor means is that we’ve already sort of been on a journey that made us a little more aware.”

Before the Doctor could say anything else, Abhaya arrived. “Doctor, Rose, it’s time to discuss your journey. Please join me in my meditation room.” Rose waived goodbye to Helen and Charlie and she and the Doctor followed Abhaya. The meditation room was a small enclosed space with one small window, golden yellow walls, a few rugs scattered on the floor and some wall hangings and nothing else. The three of them knelt on the floor with Abhaya facing them.

“We learn from the journey. The two of you have a great understanding of this and yet you doubt it. Doubt clouds your mind. You must learn to free yourselves. Only then will you achieve all that you can be.”

"Abhaya, we need your help with something in particular,” the Doctor said. He pulled the scroll from his pocket, unrolled it and pointed to the lyrics of the song they had to learn. “We have been sent on this journey to learn this song which we must sing perfectly. Can you help us?”

Abhaya smiled, her brown eyes crinkling as she looked at the Doctor. “You believe this is just about a song?”

“Yes. Well no, not really. There’s more to it than that but the song is important.”

“Rose, do you think the song is important?” Abhaya asked.

Well, I suppose, it’s not so much about the song as what singing the song accomplishes.”

“And what do you think that is?” Abhaya asked her, a few silver bracelets on her arm tinkling as she held the parchment.

“It brings us one step closer to being free of some nasty Eternals who are threatening us, our friends and family.”

“I see,” Abhaya said. “So you have faith that accomplishing this task will bring you closer to finding peace and help you protect your loved ones.”

“Yeah, I do,” Rose answered.

“I will assist you on this journey. First, you must learn that the song is more than words and notes. It is emotions and vulnerability. To truly convey this song, you must be able to reach within yourself and free yourself from doubt, fear and guilt. This is your journey. I can guide you but only you can find this within yourselves. Tomorrow, we shall begin.”

“Sorry Abhaya, but we are in a bit of a time crunch." The Doctor scratched at his neck nervously. "We sort of have to be somewhere and be able to sing it in a little over a week."

Abhaya cocked her head to the side and looked at the Doctor. “Time. Sometimes it’s your enemy and sometimes your most intimate friend. Only when you let go and just be, will you truly understand it and find balance. Rest your mind, Doctor. In the morning, we will begin.” Abhaya stood, nodded her head and swept out of the room.

The Doctor sighed and looked up at the ceiling and then over at Rose. Rose knelt quietly looking at one of the wall hangings.

“He had to bring us to a guru to learn this thing. Now she’s going to make us go through the whole inner peace routine,” he complained.

Rose sighed and shook her head. “Do I need to smack you? You’ve been in mood since we arrived here. Maybe she has a point. Couldn’t hurt us to meditate a bit and take some time to figure things out.” She rubbed her palms against her jeans, nervous about learning the song.

“That’s a bit rich coming from you. As I recall, you were the one who fell asleep last time we went somewhere to meditate,” the Doctor said, sarcastically.

Rose glared at him. “That was different! We’d been running all day from the angry musicians on that purple lagoon planet when we got to that temple. I was tired. Besides, I’m older now and maybe I understand this stuff a bit more. Anyway, we‘ve got to do this so settle yourself down.”

The Doctor was definitely in oncoming pout mode the entire walk back to their quarters muttering about the irony of a Time Lord being lectured about time by a primitive guru. When they arrived at their quarters, they could hear soft music playing. They settled down for the night listening to the music. When they woke up the next morning, the music was still playing.

“Blimey, they’ve been playing the same thing all night,” the Doctor complained, as they dressed and headed to the common area for breakfast. After breakfast, they were led to a room where the guru was leading a meditation to a group of followers. They settled down at the back of the room and listened to the chant. Soon, they began to relax and the chant turned into a soft melody. When they opened their eyes, they were alone with Abhaya.

“That was the song wasn’t it?” the Doctor asked. “The same one playing in our quarters last night.”

“Correct, Doctor. How do you feel?”

“Brilliant! Ready to sing a nice Hindi love song!” he said with exuberance.

“And you, Rose?”

“I’m not sure," she answered, biting her lip thinking about the music. "It was so beautiful but sad too.”

Abhaya paused focusing on Rose before she smiled and looked down. “Before you, are pages with the words spelled phonetically in English. Your task today is to learn the words and the melody. Ashari here," She inclined her head toward a young woman. "will stay with you today and help you with the pronunciation and melody. I will return later to check on your progress.”

“Thank you Abhaya,” Rose said, while the Doctor focused on studying the pages before them.

The Doctor and Rose worked all morning on learning the words and pronunciation. They took a quick break for lunch and continued on. The Doctor mastered the words and melody quickly.

“Well I think I’ve got this wrapped up,” he said, with smug expression.

Rose sighed as she stared at the pages before her. “It’s rude to gloat.”

Abhaya walked in and asked them each to sing. The Doctor sang the tune first, pronouncing each word perfectly and staying in perfect pitch. Rose, on the other hand struggled with pronunciation and staying in tune. The Doctor scrunched his face in pain each time she made an error. Abhaya just smiled.

“Well, Abhaya, thanks for your help. I think we’ve got it,” the Doctor told, her standing to leave.

“Doctor, perhaps you are getting ahead of yourself. As I mentioned earlier, this song is more than just words and melody. It’s about emotions and feeling. You cannot treat this like a science experiment. This song is about love and passion. It must be sung from within. I can teach you the words and melody, but only you can find within yourself what is necessary to truly sing the song. Rose, will you sign for me again and this time, close your eyes and don’t worry about the pronunciation.”

Rose took a deep breath and took her time to start. She sang without worrying about the words. When she opened her eyes, Abhaya was smiling blissfully. She walked over and hugged her.

“Well done, Rose. You must continue to practice, but remember, it must come from here.” Abhaya placed a hand over Rose’s heart. “Don’t be afraid, let go of fear and self-doubt. Sing to the one you hold closest to your heart. No matter where you sing this song, you are singing to the one you love." Rose nodded still unsure and especially after hearing the Doctor sing. Abhaya rested a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Lao Tzu once said ‘Music in the soul can be heard by the universe’ This is true with this song and especially when you sing it.”

She turned toward the the Doctor. "I sense within you a great conflict. You bear such a heavy burden and yet there is a light inside of you trying to shine through. You must learn to let the light shine. This will not be an easy task for one such as you. I see in you the ability to be so much more but you are being held back by your very nature. Only when you learn to let go of your fear, accept who you are and share who you are, will you succeed."

“I’m fine," the Doctor asserted in a clip tone. "I know who I am. Rose, tell her I’m fine.”

Abhaya smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “I understand, Doctor. You have already learned to overcome so much. Now then, I do not believe I can convince you to spend another day here and contemplate all that you have learned today. You are like a firefly. A child may want to keep you in a jar to admire your glow, but your light will not truly shine unless you are free to fly and explore the many wonders of the world. I will pray that both of you find the enlightenment and peace you seek.” Abhaya bowed slightly and left them.

“Well then, let’s find Vishal and be off.” The Doctor sprang up excited to leave the ashram and the forced introspection. He felt the need to keep moving and make progress toward the Temple of the Harav.

“Doctor, are you sure? Shouldn’t we practice some more?” Rose asked tentatively.

“Rose, don’t worry. I’ve got it!" He insisted. "Besides, we can practice along the way. I made a recording of the music from last night so we can listen to it. I promise, we’ll be fine.”

Rose nodded but insecurity picked at the back of her mind. This was too important to not get it right. In the end, she allowed the Doctor to lead onward. They picked up her backpack and met Vishal on their way out. 

“So Vishal, have you found someone to guide us to the Temple of the Harav?” the Doctor asked.

“It wasn’t easy. No one goes there. It’s going to cost you," the boy warned with his typical bravado.

“Can we leave now?” the Doctor asked.

“Sure, follow me.”

Once again, Vishal led them through narrow dark maze-like alleys through the less developed areas of the city until they reached the more agricultural area. They approached a small shack which Vishal entered. He exited with a tanned middle aged man with a white turban on his head. “This is Balraj. He will take us to the village. You pay him now.”

“Balraj, about how long do you think it will take to reach the village?” the Doctor asked looking at Rose pointedly. She sighed and pulled money out of her backpack.

“If we travel sunrise to sunset, about three days. You know the villagers do not like strangers.”

“Yes, but it’s imperative that we get there before the Festival of the Harav.” Rose handed their guide the funds which he counted and tucked away into his robes.

“They will not let you join unless you prove yourselves worthy of the Harav. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Balraj asked.

“Oh don’t worry about us. Rose and I are experts at things like this. You just get us there safely,” the Doctor assured him with a wink.

“We should leave now and make some progress before nightfall.” Balraj looked at Rose. “The lady should cover her head. Her fair hair will attract attention. There are bands of thieves that prowl the jungle. It would be safer if you try and blend in.”

“Here Rose, Abhaya gave me this to give to you.” Vishal handed Rose a creamy yellow sheer scarf to wrap around her head. “Oh Vishal, it’s beautiful. If I don’t see her again, please thank Abhaya for me,” Rose said, and hugged Vishal much to his embarrassment.

Balraj asked the Doctor to remove his coat so he was just wearing slacks and a light blue dress shirt which he opened at the neck and wrapped a turban on his head. Rose looked up at the Turbaned Doctor and smiled dreamily at him imagining all sorts of things she would do with a turbaned Doctor at home.

“Why Rose Tyler, are you fantasizing,” he asked cheekily, as Balraj led them into the jungle behind his hut.

“Mmmm maybe I am. The sultan look suits you,” she told him huskily, looking at him with a sexy smirk on her face. He preened a bit and looked down at her, his eyes darkening. “What a shame we have Vishal and Balraj here. I promise you, when we’re alone, we’re going to finish this little fantasy,” the Doctor whispered to her.

When they reached a clearing, there were three large elephants awaiting them. Rose and the Doctor grinned from ear to ear and practically jumped up and down in their excitement.

“Elephants, Rose!” The Doctor walked up to one of the large animals and ran his hand up and down it’s rough gray neck. “Oh, you are just so lovely!” he whispered still smiling a joyous smile. Rose walked up and stood beside him in awe at the massive size of the elephant.

“I can’t believe we’re here doing this! I mean we’re heading into the jungle toward some village where they hold a celebration to worship a mystical pig.” Rose said, giggling slightly, her eyes sparkling.

“Just like old times,” the Doctor told her, bumping her shoulder with his. She looked up and grinned, showing just the tip of her tongue. “Better than old times,” she said, reaching up to kiss him.

Balraj had the elephants kneel and saddled them in what looked like blankets and some rope. The Doctor climbed on first and the elephant rose causing the Doctor to lean backwards and forwards as it stood up. Rose and Vishal rode the second elephant with Balraj on the third and in the lead. They made their way through the humid, dense green of the jungle. Rose was amazed at the vibrant colors and sound of birds signing and animals growling in the distance. They were so taken with the sites, scents and sounds of the jungle, time passed quickly and soon the sun was sinking into the trees. Balraj stopped and they made camp near a waterfall. Balraj warned them to not wander too far into the jungle and be careful of green tree vipers and tarantulas.

“Tarantulas,” Rose whispered, with fearful eyes.

“Oh come on Rose, you’re not afraid of a little spider. Besides, have you ever seen one up close? They’re gorgeous. Brown with orange strips with fine hair that looks like velvet on their little delicate legs,” the Doctor told her, enthusiastically.

Rose shivered. “If you want to get friendly with a tarantula fine, but I’ll be on the other side of the camp. Thank you very much. Let’s just get to the waterfall and clean up before the snakes and spiders start slithering out.” Rose darted nervous looks at the ground.

“Oh, they won’t be coming from the ground, they’ll drop on us from the trees!” the Doctor explained exuberantly. “Come on Rose, to the waterfall! Maybe we can find giant rhinoceros beetles! They can measure up to twelve inches!” The Doctor bounded off into the jungle excited for his next adventure. Rose stood for a moment gazing into the jungle with less enthusiasm than she started with and chewing her thumb nail.

“Roooosse, are you coming?”

She sighed and forged ahead into the jungle. Her need to bathe was greater than her fear of giant bugs and poisonous snakes. When she emerged from the forest, she could hear the roar of the waterfall. She stepped out into the clearing where the waterfall burst forth from a rocky outcropping, water pouring into a clear pool at its base. The Doctor was examining some moss growing on the stones. Rose knelt down with a cloth she dipped into the water, and began to clean herself.

“Look Rose!” the Doctor shouted to her and pointed into the trees. She was almost afraid to look but her curiosity won the battle and she looked up into the trees to see them filled with startling bright blue birds with delicate feathers on top of their heads looking almost like they were wearing a hat. “It‘s an Indian Peafowl,” the Doctor told her, kneeling beside her and taking the cloth from her hand.

“They’re beautiful,” she whispered, forgetting all about the poisonous snakes and spiders that had worried her earlier. The Doctor dipped the cloth in the water and continued to bath her as darkness descended. She leaned back into him as he pulled out some dry shampoo and worked into her hair. Rose sighed in contentment as she nails scraped her scalp. The temperature of the waterfall was cooler than the dense jungle. She looked up at him as the moonlight filtered through tree canopy.

“Doctor, aren’t you worried about what Abhaya said about singing the song.”

“What do you mean worried? We’ll be fine. I’ve got this one nailed, easy peasy.” He kissed her forehead as evidence of his confidence.

They made their way back to the camp and laid down on the blankets which Balraj placed on some branches so they would not be sleeping directly on the ground. The Doctor played the music and sang the song. Rose closed her eyes listening to him sing. When he stopped, she repeated the song to him, gazing into his eyes.

“Rose?” he said softly.

“Yes, Doctor.”

“That was really awful. You really need to practice.”

Rose turned over on her side so she was facing away from the Doctor. “Goodnight, Doctor.”

“Right. Guess we’ll be practicing tomorrow,” the Doctor whispered as he looked up into the night sky.

The next morning they were up early and were packed and on their way as the sun begin filtering through the trees. The Doctor and Rose practiced singing while Vishal and Balraj just stared at them shaking their heads. They stopped briefly for lunch. Rose ate some bread with a chickpea paste when the Doctor called out. “Rose look! It’s tarantula!”

Rose nearly choked on her sandwich and jumped up looking all around to figure out where to run. The Doctor bounded over with the giant, hairy spider crawling down his arm.

“See Rose, isn’t it beautiful! It just fell out of a tree on my head. Can you imagine, on my head!

Rose stared at him eyes wide and took a few steps back.

“Oh come on Rose, it’s all right. I promise. Come over here.”

Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them she hesitantly stepped over to him and looked down at the spider. She lifted a trembling hand and delicately touched the spider which suddenly jumped from the Doctor onto her arm. She shrieked and stood absolutely still while the Doctor grabbed her other arm and whispered soothing words to her. “That’s it, nice and easy. See, its just as scared of you as you are of it. Just stay still. Eventually, Rose looked the spider and could see some of what the Doctor meant. It did look a bit fuzzy and soft. Still, Rose couldn’t say she loved the experience as she carefully walked over to a branch and the spider scampered off.

“Wasn’t that brilliant!” the Doctor exclaimed bouncing up on the balls of his feet.

Rose turned and walked away muttering about insect obsessed Time Lords. That night, they sang to each other again and were just settling in for the night when Rose saw something in the trees. “Look Doctor, giant birds. I didn’t think birds were nocturnal,” she mused.

“Those aren’t birds. They’re bats. Oh I love being in the jungle, don’t you, Rose? Uh Rose, what are you doing?”

Rose had pulled the blankets over her head. “We’re sleeping out here and there are bats overhead. Aren’t you worried about them biting you?” She shivered.

The Doctor burst out laughing. “You humans and your fascination with vampires! All those books and movies where you have bats turning into people and romanticizing the drinking of blood. It’s a bit cannibalistic don‘t you think and so terribly fictional. They’re not vampire bats, they’re fruit bats. They eat fruit not people!”

Rose peeked out from the blankets at the laughing Time Lord and looked up toward the sky. “Oh,” she said softly. The Doctor continued to snicker until Rose threatened to make him sleep with the elephants.

The next day after they stopped for lunch, Balraj told them they were only about a half day’s ride away provided the weather stayed good. If it rained, it would slow them down. Just as they were packing up to leave, there was a crashing noise in the jungle followed by shrieking and howling. The Doctor inhaled and closed his eyes. He opened them with a worried look. “Oh no. We’ve got to get out of here now!” he told Balraj.

Before, they could mount their elephants, chaos ensued as a group of well built, very tall masked bandits crashed through the foliage and attacked. The last thing the Doctor saw before losing consciousness was Rose being carried off kicking and screaming.


	23. Plumiantos Know How to Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor were traveling through the Indian jungle toward the village of the Harav (aka Holy Pig) with Vishal, their young guide from the market and Balraj, their jungle guide. They were attacked by masked bandits who kidnapped Rose…

The huge, masked bandits ran at them bursting forth from the jungle like a hoard of rampaging elephants. They shouted and screamed at the top of their lungs. There was no time for anyone to run much less defend themselves and then there was another noise that Rose could not identify. All she knew was her ears were ringing and she dropped to her knees. The Doctor fell down next to her, his hands over his ears and his face scrunched in pain. Rose felt herself scooped up and thrown over the shoulder of one of the bandits as they screamed in victory and then, being toted off into the jungle. She tried her best to escape screaming and kicking at her captor, but it didn’t seem to deter the bandit in the slightest. As they made their way into the jungle, she realized, he was laughing. Rose was not amused.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, she was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. She looked up at her captors who were peeling off their masks and realized they were not human.

“Oi, You lot! What do you think you’re doing? What planet are you from?” Rose shouted at them.

They all turned and looked at her. One of the six bandits turned to another. “She’s speaking Plumian. How can she be speaking Plumian?” All six turned and stared at her.

“What are you lookin’ at? Why did you kidnap me? Who are you?”

One of the bandits stepped forward. “We are the Premier Plumianto Platoon,” he told her, and they all stood up straighter and looked a bit smug. “Now little female, who are you who can speak our language?”

Rose's breath caught and she paused contemplating them. She shouldn’t be able to understand them without the Doctor’s help. She touched her bracelet and felt something in the back of her mind. It wasn’t the Doctor. And she wasn‘t sure what it was but at least she could understand them.

“Maybe I’m just good with languages," she said with bravado. "Why did you attack us and kidnap me?” Rose demanded, determined to not show them any weakness and to try and delay them until the Doctor could catch up.

“Well, we were on patrol and our scanners indicated you weren’t entirely human. There’s a party soon and we get bored of human company. We thought it might be interesting to bring you along. Oh, and we heard you sing. We liked your singing.” They all grinned, nodding their heads.

“Well you have a funny way of asking a girl out on date. Not that I’m agreeing mind you. I have a bloke and he’s gonna be really upset that you hauled me off.”

“You mean that skinny weird one who sang with you?” one of them asked her, a bushy eyebrow arched up.

“Yeah, he’s the Doctor and he won’t just let you kidnap me.”

They all started laughing and slapping each other on the back.

Rose stared up at the tall men. They were humanoid but much taller than humans by a good two feet. Their skin was smooth and dark as ebony and their eyes dark brown with flecks of green. They were dressed in dark brown and green clothing that was not too different in style than what the locals wore. Turbans covered long black hair. The clothes were definitely designed to blend into the jungle. Their faces looked very human although their ears were much smaller and their teeth were a startling white against their face.

“You really think that puny male can conquer us?” one asked, still chuckling in a deep baritone voice.

“He’s not puny and anyway, he’s real smart," Rose defended but worried her lip. These Pluminato did look impressive. She held her head up determined to have faith in her Doctor. "I’ve seen him topple tyrants and armies so I wouldn’t get too full of yourselves. Now, why are you here?”

They stopped laughing and looked at her seriously. “Our ship crashed a few earth years ago. We have been unable to repair it. The technology here is too primitive. Our initial scans indicated that there are those on this planet that would steal our ship and imprison us so we stay in the mountains and keep guard over our vessel.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe the Doctor and I can help?” Rose offered.

The one that Rose had quickly decided was the leader stepped forward. “How could you possibly help us! You may not be entirely human but you don’t appear to have any advanced technology. We saw you traveling by the great, gray beast.”

Rose smiled. “Well, like you, we don’t want technology to get into the wrong hands. We sort of freelance with the local planetary security as well. Look, if we’re gonna help each other, we might as well get to know each other. My name’s Rose. What are you lot called?”

The leader identified himself as Ponk. The others stepped forward one at a time and identified themselves as Dop, Merl, Lisk, Tasarn and Nog.

“Enough with the greeting. Time to move on,” Ponk ordered.

“But why don’t we wait for the Doctor?” Rose asked, worried at putting more distance between them.

“We didn’t agree to anything yet," Ponk informed her. "We’ll think about it after we get back to camp." Rose sighed and winced as she rubbed at her damp, overly warm face. 

"Don’t worry, we didn’t steal the primitive transport. If your Doctor is as clever as you claim, he’ll be able to find us.”

“But he was hurt when you took me! What did you do to him?”

“Do to him? We did nothing other than immobilize him with a little sonic blast. Nothing permanent, just a little disabling jolt," Ponk explained and smirked. "Now then, up you come Rose.” Ponk hefted her up onto his shoulder before they started to jog off further into the jungle.

Meanwhile, the Doctor quickly recovered from the sonic blast which had thrown off his equilibrium and brought him to his knees. He stared off in the direction the bandits had taken Rose. He turned and helped Balraj and Vishal up.

“We have to go after them,” the Doctor told them, pacing back and forth.

“I am no warrior and you have not paid me enough to anger large, powerful bandits," Balraj said, trembling and staring wide eyed into the jungle. "You see what they did, how quickly they moved. I warned you that there were bandits in the jungle.”

The Doctor loomed up over Balraj. “I don’t care about money. I care about Rose. They took her. Do you understand, Balraj. They took her. No one takes my Rose,” the said in a tight angry voice. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope with money in it and threw it at Balraj. “There’s your money. We leave now. I don’t want them to get any more of head start.”

Balraj looked at the envelope and back up at the Doctor and sighed. “Very well. We go but don’t expect me to join in your battle.” Balraj left to round up the elephants who had wandered off.

“Doctor, how do you expect to get Rose back? Those bandits used magic. How can we fight that?” Vishal asked nervously tugging at his shirt and looking around the jungle.

The Doctor stopped staring into the jungle where Rose had been taken and looked down at Vishal. “There’s no such thing as magic, Vishal. Those bandits are not from around here. I could smell them before they attacked. They’re warriors from far, far away who used a weapon to disable us.”

“You could smell them?” Vishal asked, in a disbelieving voice.

The Doctor smiled. “I have a very sensitive nose”

“But what will you do when we catch up to them? There are six of them and they’re bigger than us.”

“Yes Vishal, but we are far more clever than they are. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out by the time we get there. You and I are good at thinking on her feet,” the Doctor told him, and patted him on the shoulder. Vishal smiled and nodded.

Soon, the three of them were making their way through the jungle following the path of broken foliage caused by the running bandits. Balraj made them stop for the night despite the Doctor’s protest. As the Doctor lay alone staring up at the stars, all he could think about was Rose.

“Don’t worry Rose, I’m coming to get you,” he whispered.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The Plumianto Platoon made short work of running through the jungle and arrived back at camp well before nightfall. Ponk gently set Rose down and she promptly collapsed from being carried a long distance.

“I could really use a loo and some water,” she told them.

Ponk nodded and, Nog who Rose identified by his necklace of white prayer beads, stepped over and to help her up and escort her to their ship. The ship had some sort of shielding technology and blended into the jungle. It was dark and cool inside and she could smell an oily metallic scent as she was escorted to the living quarters. Luckily, Nog did not insist on watching her. Once she was done and stepped out, Nog took her back outside to the camp where Merl handed her a cup of water.

“Thanks, Merl.”

“So Rose, exactly what are you and how did you end up here?” Merl asked.

“That’s a long story and you wouldn’t believe it,” Rose said, sipping the water.

“We are trapped on this world with only a primitive agricultural people for company. I doubt I could be any more bored so entertain me. Tell me your story,” Merl asked, sitting on a metal crate

Rose gave an abridged version of the story on how she met the Doctor, ended up on this planet, saved the multiverse and ended up back there. By the time she was finished, she was surrounded by Plumianto warriors who seemed utterly fascinated by her story.

“You are a courageous creature,” Merl said, with a hint of admiration reflected in his eyes.

“This Doctor has caused you pain and heartbreak and yet you still stand by him," Ponk said, shaking his head. "On our world, if a female was treated as such, she would have enforced her rights for justice and had the scoundrel crawling at her feet begging for the right to mate, in a public square for all to witness.” Ponk emphasized this by slapping his thigh while the others all murmured their agreement.

“Uh, thanks, but the Doctor has suffered enough. Neither of us is perfect but we love each other. When you love someone, it means you love all parts of them and take the good along with the bad," Rose admitted, staring down into he water. "That's why I'm so anxious to get back to him. I hate the thought of causing him so much worry.”

“Such compassion is admirable, foolish, but admirable,” Merl told her.

“Tomorrow we will take you to the village. The villagers have shown great kindness to us and in return, we extend protection to them. Soon the celebration of the great Harav will be upon us. If your Doctor does not claim you, you will stay and celebrate with us,” Ponk said. Rose tried very hard not to show her delight at being taken the village and one step closer to the Harav.

The Plumianto then started passing around bottles of something fizzy. One was handed to her and she saw on the label it was carbonated lemon-lime Vitex. She wondered what Pete would think of a bunch of aliens drinking Vitex in the jungles of India. Suddenly, all the Plumianto stood up and started shouting.

“To the blessed Harav!”

“May the universe bring us good fortune!”

“Prosperity from the Harav!”

For each shouted declaration they took a swig of Vitex and Rose followed suit.

“To our new friend Rose!”

“May the celebration last long and be filled with many bottles of the most delicious Vitex!”

After many declarations and toasts, the Plumianto proceeded to belch and had a contest as to who could belch the loudest.

“Great, I’m stuck in the jungle with a bunch of alien blokes who are getting drunk on Vitex," Rose moaned "I might as well be back at a pub in London watchin’ a match.”

The Plumianto partying didn’t stop at grand declarations and a belching contest. It continued with singing raunchy songs and songs about war and escalated into contests of physical strength which left them stumbling and falling into each other laughing the whole time. Rose observed all of this with amused and sometimes offended fascination. Eventually, Merl asked Rose if she was tired and showed her back to the living quarters in the ship after which Merl passed out in the corridor. Rose left him and settled down into the blankets on the utilitarian bunk. She was sure the next day would be long so she was determined to get some rest. As she closed her eyes, she thought of the Doctor and smiled. He would never believe that being kidnapped was the key to finding the Harav.

The next morning she was up bright and early and went out to find most of the Plumianto still passed out. It was a gray, hot, humid morning and her hair was already sticking to her already perspiring skin. She tied her hair up in a pony tail as she made her way to the center of the camp where she found Dop tending a fire.

“Good morning, Dop!” Rose called out cheerfully despite the heat and humidity. He nodded at her and handed her a cup of a steaming beverage. She sipped it and found it tasted like tea.

“Thanks Dop, this is great.”

Soon the rest of the group was groaning and dragging their way over to the fire for tea. Bread spread with some type of fruit jam was handed to Rose. She devoured it since she hadn’t eaten since lunch the previous day.

Ponk was rounding everyone up to head to the village. He reached down for Rose.

“Wait! Seriously Ponk, can you not carry me around like a sack of flour? Can’t I just ride on your back? I promise I won‘t struggle or fall. Just lean down so I can climb up.”

Ponk looked skeptical but complied. Rose climbed up his back and wrapped her arms and legs around him. The other Plumianto stared with open mouths and then started clamoring to offer up themselves as Rose’s ride. Ponk just smiled.

As they made their way to the village, Rose leaned down to talk to Ponk. “Uh Ponk, is my riding on your back like this okay?”

“Sweet Rose, you can ride me anytime you want?” Rose couldn’t see his face but was sure there was a smirk on it. “Right, you do know that his is just so I don’t have to lose feeling in my arms in legs by you hauling me over your shoulder right?” Ponk didn’t answer. “Oh please tell me this doesn’t mean we’re more than friends. The Doctor will kill me.” Ponk laughed. Luckily, it wasn’t far to the village.

As they grew closer, Rose asked Ponk about the Harav.

“Ah the blessed Harav,” he murmured. “We have such creatures on our home world. We thought the Harav might be from Plumianto but found it to be a more primitive version of our own Niok. Still, the Harav has all the honorable qualities of the Niok. The Harav has blessed the village with prosperity and the villagers, although primitive, recognize the blessing. Before we arrived, the Harav was housed in a place unworthy of it. My crew and I saw to it that the Harav was provided a more suitable dwelling for his honored status.”

Rose was amazed at how serious Ponk was as he told her this story. She was starting to think that she had better stay on the Plumiantos good side or neither she nor the Doctor would ever get to see the Harav much less sing to it. The sky rumbled and a steady rain began to fall.

“Rose, sing us a song,” Ponk asked as he ambled along ducking around low hanging branches.

“Oh, well okay. Guess I need to practice.” Rose sang the Hindi love song as they made their way to the Village in the steady rain. Ponk stopped her half way through.

“That’s not it. You sang it differently before. Sing it the way you did before.”

Rose looked at him, water running down he know make up free face and thought about what Abhaya had said to her. She smiled, closed her eyes and visualized the Doctor, completely oblivious to the falling rain. She then started singing. Just as she finished, she realized Ponk had stopped and so had the rain. She opened her eyes and found them in the village and several villagers were staring at her. Ponk set her down and walked over to a hut. She looked around at the small village which was made up of stone, mud and wood constructed huts with tin roofs. Children were playing around the outside of one of the huts while women were hanging laundry on lines strung from the trees. Some men were herding goats down the dirt and gravel path through the center of the village.

Ponk emerged from the hut next to an elderly Indian man dressed in simple, traditional dress. “Rose, this is Abhi. He is the leader in this village. You will be staying with his daughter.”

“Welcome, song bird," the gray haired man greeted with a friendly smile. "Ponk speaks highly of you and tells us you are a weary travel who seeks refuge. He tells us another foreign traveler will come here seeking to win your favor. We shall act as your guardians to assure the suitor proves himself worthy of such a lovely song bird.”

Rose knew she had to choose her words carefully. She couldn‘t risk upsetting Ponk or anyone in the village and ruin her chances at being able to sing to the Harav, even if it meant complying with a conservative local courting tradition. “Uh, thank you Abhi. I appreciate you taking me in. The traveler is my friend, the Doctor. We were separated when Ponk and his friends here ran into us. I’m sure he and our guides will be along soon.”

Abhi’s daughter, Bakul walked up to Rose with a shy smile on her face and holding a toddler in her arms. Rose couldn't hold back the grin at the bright eyed child in her arms who waved at her. 

Ponk left and Rose felt a moment of panic. “Ponk, wait.” He walked back to her, a knowing grin on his face. “What did you tell to Abhi? What exactly are they going to do to the Doctor?”

“Abhi will make sure the Doctor is worthy of you. If he’s as clever as you say, there’s nothing to worry about." Ponk shrugged. "Besides, he should have taken greater care of his female. It was far too easy for us to steal you away. For a female who was stolen by Plumianto Warriors, you showed courage. You have not cried in fear or complained at harsh conditions. You even sang to us. A strong female deserves a strong mate. Let him prove himself worthy of you. If you share such strong love and faith, nothing should stop him from winning your favor.” Ponk smiled, patted her on the head and walked off.

Rose groaned quietly and walked back to Bakul who took her back to her family’s hut to get clean, dry and change clothes.

While Rose was on her way to the village, the Doctor, Vishal and Balraj were climbing on the elephants to continue following the trail to Rose. The morning started out with a light drizzle of rain but soon turned into a torrential downpour. Balraj stopped them as the rain caused flooding and a washout occurred in front of them. The Doctor’s mood deteriorated with the rain. As if losing Rose wasn’t bad enough, now they were all drenched and couldn’t make any progress due to the washout. The heat and rain were wearing on him in a way they never would have when he was full Time Lord. On top of all the discomfort and worry for Rose, was the looming deadline of the Festival of the Harav.

The rain stopped for a while and they tried to make progress but soon it started once again forcing them to slow and eventually stop. The rains continued for days and all signs of the bandits that took Rose were erased. The Doctor was uncommonly quiet having been overcome with anger at the bandits and concern for Rose. On the third morning, Vishal approached the Doctor.

“Doctor, Balraj has lost the trail. If we want to find Rose, we have to learn more about these Bandits. We’re not far from the village of the Harav. We should go there and ask them for help.”

“We need to find Rose first. She could be hurt or worse,” the Doctor muttered, darkly kicking at wet stones.

“But what if Rose escaped? She’s not like a lot of foreign women who complain and whine. I think she would have escaped and gone to the village. Do you really want to waste time wandering around the jungle hoping we run into them?” Vishal asked him.

The Doctor looked at Vishal seeing something of Rose in the boy and nodded. “You’re right. Rose wouldn’t just sit around. She would have done something.” He sighed. “Vishal, it’s my fault. I should have been more aware. If I had just paid attention…”

“Are you crazy? You don’t really think we could have gotten away from them do you? They moved fast and they were huge. Stop wasting time feeling sorry for yourself. It’s not going to change anything. Abhaya taught me that.”

The Doctor stared at Vishal. “Here’s me shown up by teenaged pick pocket,” he muttered. “Fine. Let’s head to the village.”

Balraj led them through the humid, dripping jungle until soon they reached a clear path. As the jungle thinned, they started to hear sounds of children and singing. The elephants slowly lumbered into the village. Villagers stared at them and whispered among themselves. Soon they were greeted by an elderly Indian man.

The Doctor dismounted his elephant and walked up to the elderly man. “Hello! I’m the Doctor. I was hoping you might be able to help us. A friend of ours was taken by some bandits. We were wondering if you have heard of any bandits roaming the jungle near here?”

“There are no bandits in the jungle near our village. Our protectors keep us safe from the outside world. You are seeking the song bird are you not?”

“Song bird? Well I don’t think so. I’m looking for my friend, petite blonde, goes by the name of Rose.”

“Yes, the song bird.”

“Rose is the song bird?" He heaved a sigh of relief. "May I see her? Is she all right?”

“She was brought to us by our protectors for safe keeping. You are the Doctor suitor she speaks of correct?”

“Doctor suitor? I’m not sure I understand?” he said slowly although part of him had a suspicion. 

“You have come to prove your worthiness to the song bird. I have promised the protectors to act as her guardian during the challenges to prove you honor her; will remain faithful; and be her protector for all her life. Are you prepared to affirm your commitment?”

“I need to see her first,” the Doctor told the village elder, now totally confused how all this was happening.

They walked through the village and came to an area were several women dressed in yellow saris were sewing, washing laundry and braiding each others hair. He heard her laugh before he saw her. He stood their dirty, soggy, hot and dripping with a loony grin on his face as he saw Rose smiling and laughing while her hair was being braided. She looked up and saw him and jumped to her feet, “Doctor!” she shouted and started to run over to him. Before she could reach him, the Plumianto Warriors appeared between her and the Doctor.

“Not so fast song bird. The scrawny Doctor must prove himself first,” Ponk stated, glaring at the Doctor.

The Doctor looked up at him and said, “Oh you have got to be kidding me!”


	24. The Festival of the Harav

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On their way to complete the 4th task, (singing to the holy pig) Rose was kidnapped by the Plumianto Warriors who have been shipwrecked in the Indian jungle. After taking her back to their camp for the night and she got an eyeful of inebriated Plumiantos, they took her to the village of the Harav. The Doctor spent days wandering around the jungle in the pouring rain angsting and finally made his way to the village. The village elder and head of the Plumiantos, Ponk, decided the Doctor must prove he’s a decent fellow before they’ll let him near Rose….

“Prove myself? I don’t have to prove anything to you! You kidnapped Rose,” the Doctor exclaimed, his fists clenched as he glared at Ponk.

Ponk stepped forward and towered over the Doctor staring down at him. “I know all about you. Rose told us. If you want her back, you have to earn the right.” Ponk crossed his arms.

“Earn her back?” the Doctor bit out. His face flush, he kicked at the ground before looking around Ponk. He called out to Rose.

“I’m sorry, Doctor," Rose said apologetically. "The Plumiantos and Abhi here feel a bit protective of me and sort of have this local custom. I think you better do as they ask,” Rose pleaded with him, from behind Ponk.

The Doctor groaned in aggravation and stared up at Ponk. “Fine. What do I need to do?”

Ponk looked at the damp, dirty Doctor and sniffed. “Take a bath. You stink. Then we will meet with Abhi and discuss how you prove your worth.” 

The Doctor fumed before he turned around and surreptitiously sniffed himself wincing. One of the village men beckoned him to follow and took him to a river to bath himself. Once he was clean, the villagers provided him with fresh clothing which consisted of brown cotton trousers and a loose white cotton shirt open at the top. His feet were still shriveled and suffering from being soaked in his socks and trainers for the past few days, so after much complaining, he agreed to the shoes provided by the villagers.

He was led back to Abhi’s hut, where he sat with Abhi and Ponk. “So, am I fit to discuss whatever you want me to do to get Rose back?” he asked sarcastically and giving Ponk the oncoming stare.

“Doctor, the Song Bird is a truly wondrous creature," Abhi began in his calm voice. "She has courage and strength but is balanced by her compassion and warmth of spirit. She requires a suitor who will respect her and keep her close to his heart and protect her from those who would steal her song." He paused and the Doctor could feel his intense stare as if the man could read his mind.

"First, you must prove your ability to protect her," Abhi continued. "The Song Bird is hidden in the jungle. You must retrieve her and bring her back to the safety of the village before darkness falls in the jungle.”

“The jungle. Uh Abhi, the jungle is a big place, don’t suppose I get a bit of a hint?”

Ponk snorted. “And she said you were smart. I could find her easy.”

“Now wait just a minute!" the Doctor snapped. "You live here. I only just arrived. So it’s not like I know the geography of this particular jungle." He faced the older man. "Abhi, are there any rules to this or can I use any resources to find her.”

“The Song Bird may be found with other song birds. The only rule is that you find her and bring her back safely. If you love her, than her safety is your priority and you do what you must to protect her so that she cannot be stolen from you.”

The Doctor stared at Abhi. His fear that he couldn‘t protect Rose as he once could was at the crux of his anger and insecurity. He had allowed his Time Lord prejudice to overshadow embracing this new life. He constantly wallowed in self pity, worrying about how to cope with lost abilities and what he could no longer do. It was time to stop thinking he was less. 

“You’re right. It’s about time for me to focus on the present instead of worrying about the past and future. I assure both of you, no power in the universe will stop me from protecting her.” The Doctor left the hut and walked with purpose over to retrieve his sonic and some supplies from his coat.

Vishal walked up to him. “Is Rose okay?”

“Everything is fine. In fact, it’s better than fine," the Doctor asserted. "I have to run out into the jungle and fetch Rose. I’ll be back before dark. Try not to get into too much trouble.” The Doctor winked at him and walked quickly into the jungle. Vishal waited a few minutes and then ran after him.

It didn’t take the Doctor long to realize he was being followed. “Vishal, you might as well walk with me if you insist on coming along.”

Vishal stepped out from behind some large, leafy, green foliage. “How did you know? Could you smell me?”

The Doctor turned and smiled. “Naw, you were making enough noise to scare an elephant. Come on then." He waved him over. "We have to find Rose.” The Doctor pulled out his sonic while he waited for Vishal to catch up to him. He scanned the jungle for anything with artron energy and void stuff, both of which Rose was covered in.

“What’s that?” Vishal asked, pointing at the sonic screwdriver.

“Oh, this is a tool I’m using to find Rose. I can use it to detect her in the jungle.”

“How?”

The Doctor smiled and looked down at Vishal. He was just the sort of person he would have befriended and traveled with. “Well, Rose was exposed to a sort of radiation that is rare. No one else around here other than me would have been exposed to it. Makes her unique, which she is of course. The most unique woman in the universe actually.” he told Vishal, smiling even brighter.

“Radiation! Is it dangerous? Is she like a mutant?”

The Doctor laughed. “No! And you mustn’t call her that. I’d never hear the end of it.”

Vishal continued peppering the Doctor with questions as they proceeded through the jungle crawling over large roots and crossing streams. Finally, they arrived in a lush area filled with blooming flowers that reminded the Doctor of orchids. He called out to Rose.

He heard someone shout, “Doctor!” He looked up and saw Rose perched on a large limb in a tall tree. He grinned and waved at her. He looked down at Vishal. “See Vishal, she’s with the other song birds. Serves Ms. Jeopardy Friendly right to be stuck up in a tree after putting me through all this.”

“Doctor, look out!” Rose called out to him.

“What?” he called back as he walked up to the tree. Just then, he heard Vishal gasp and looked up to see a very large tiger hunched down in front of him. Vishal took off and quickly scampered up a nearby tree. The Doctor gasped, “Tiger!” 

He soon followed Vishal up the tree, the tiger close behind him. Luckily, both he and Vishal made it far enough up the tree that he tiger gave up. When they looked down, the could see the tiger at the bottom of the tree watching them.

“I told you to look out,” Rose shouted, annoyed.

“Well, you could have yelled ‘tiger‘. That would have been a little more descriptive,” the Doctor huffed.

“What are we going to do?” asked Vishal, staring down at the pacing tiger.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this. He pulled on a vine nearby to check how sturdy it would be.

“Doctor, what are you doing?” called out Rose, nervously gripping the tree.

“Oh, ya know, just proving I can protect you.” 

Rose rolled her eyes and collapsed against the tree muttering to herself. The Doctor grinned, held on to the vine and swung to another tree almost falling to the ground when the branch he landed on cracked and hung precariously. He quickly scampered up to another branch where he examined a plant growing off the bark of the tree. He picked a leave and tasted it. Vishal watched in fascination. Rose muttered about his oral fixation. 

He spit out the leaf and started picking leaves and flowers from the plant. He pulled out a head scarf and wrapped the flowers and leaves in it, tying it in a knot. He whistled to get the big cat’s attention and then threw the knotted head scarf at it. The tiger sniffed the scarf and began rubbing on it and chewing on it. While it was occupied with its new toy, the Doctor swung to the base of Rose’s tree and climbed up to fetch her.

“Your gallant and most brilliant protector has arrived,” he told her smugly, bowing slightly. She looked down at the tiger which was now on its back rolling around.

“What did you do to it?” she asked.

He laughed. “Catnip! Isn’t that brilliant!”

Rose couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled out. “Only you would use catnip to tame the tiger.”

“Of course! But that won’t last forever. So, Dame Rose, shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand, wiggling his fingers at her.

“Yes, we shall, Sir Doctor,” she told him, taking his hand in hers.

Rose and the Doctor swung to another tree. They climbed down, grabbed Vishal and ran away from the tiger. When they were far enough away, they stopped to catch their breaths. “Everyone all right?” the Doctor asked. Rose and Vishal both nodded grinning from ear to ear. “Well then, back to the village and Rose can enlighten us as to why the village elder felt the need to send us on this little trek through the jungle.”

Rose summarized her time with the Plumiantos explaining about their damaged ship and fascination with Vitex as well as their reverence of the Harav. She speculated that the Plumiantos were the Chosen of the Harav mentioned in the Harav story. 

“Rose Tyler, only you could make friends with warriors who worship a pig,” the Doctor teased. He stopped in his tracks at the mention of her riding on the back of Ponk. He turned and looked at her. “You did what!”

Rose fidgeted a bit. “Well, I didn’t want to be carried around like a sack of flour over his shoulder so I asked to ride, you know, piggy back style. I might have gathered there may have been a bit of a cultural difference in meaning.”

“A bit of cultural difference! Rose, Plumiantos are known to be fierce warriors, territorial, possessive and a stubborn lot once they make up their mind. You gave him liberties whether you know it or not. Blimey! No wonder he’s so aggressive towards me. He thinks I’m infringing on something that belongs to him.”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit exaggerated. He knows I don’t belong to him. I told him several times about us and how I love you. I’m not sure why he decided to get all protective. I guess, maybe he does like me, but not in that way.”

The Doctor reached up and gripped his hair and was about to start lecturing her when he sniffed the air. “Oh, no, not again.” Vishal who had been enjoying watching the two of them bicker. immediately tensed up remembering that the Doctor said he could smell the bandits in the jungle when Rose was taken.

The Doctor grabbed Rose and ran pulling her alongside him. A Plumianto warrior was close by running through the jungle. For the first time since becoming part human, the Doctor relied on human intuition and anticipated the Plumianto‘s move. He pushed Rose aside just before the Plumianto swept out of the woods and successfully tripped the warrior. He aimed his sonic up and branch came crashing down on the fallen warrior. He grabbed Rose’s and Vishal’s hands and they ran until they reached the village.

They were met by Abhi and his daughter, who pulled Rose away.

“Well done, Doctor!" Abhi exclaimed clasping his hands in delight. "You have proven that you will protect her. Now, it is time to honor her. The Song Bird must be provided for. She will rest tonight and in the morning, you shall provide a feast to honor her,” Abhi told him.

“Provide a feast?” the Doctor asked, raising his eyebrows. Abhi nodded and pointed to an empty sack. The Doctor grimaced. “I don’t suppose there’s a Tesco’s nearby?” Abhi stared at him blankly. He sighed. “Right, back into the jungle.” He grabbed the empty sack and looked at Vishal. “Coming?”

Vishal smiled and shook his head. “I think you can handle this one on your own, Doctor.” 

The Doctor turned back and headed into the jungle. “Plumianto warriors stealing Rose, torrential downpours, greedy guides, soaked and ruined trainers, oh and now prove yourself doctor, fetch a nice breakfast for Rose who sleeps in her warm, dry comfortable bed while I‘m back in the jungle alone.” He kicked at rock while he continued muttering complaints on his way to gather breakfast.

The next morning he laid a table with a sumptuous breakfast. He set the table with borrowed colorful fabrics, bowls and plates. There were neatly sliced fruits, dates and nuts as well as fruit juice which he made fresh that morning. He even picked fresh flowers which he laid in a decorative fashion on the table. Abhi arrived, nodded his approval and escorted him to Rose’s hut. A bowl of water and a flannel sat on the floor at her feet. Ponk stood by glaring at him. 

Abhi stood beside him. “It is time to show the Song Bird that you honor her and keep her close to your heart. You will bath her dainty feet while she sings her lovely song to you. You will then carry her to breakfast where you will discuss your future together.” The Doctor’s face scrunched up. Rose smirked and did her best to stifle a giggle and decided it would be best if she didn’t look at him.

“Well, I don’t know about the dainty part…”

“Oi, watch it, Doctor!” Rose warned.

“Right, wash the Song Bird’s feet,” he said as he stared at Rose’s wiggling toes. He knelt on the floor, rolled up his sleeves and glared at the smirking Ponk before dipping the flannel in the water.

“Shouldn’t the Song Bird be singing?” the Doctor complained, petulantly. 

Rose cleared her throat and began singing him the Hindi love song as he bathed her feet in the scented water. When he was done, Ponk threw a towel at him which hit him in the face. He told Ponk a stiff “thank you” and dried Rose’s bathed feet. 

He laid the towel on the floor and helped her to stand upon it. He lifted her up in his arms and carried her outside to the table laden with fruit. He sat her on a stool and sat next to her, serving her first and then himself breakfast. They smiled and chatted quietly while Ponk and Abhi observed. At the end of the meal, Abhi smiled. “You have proven your worth. As guardian of the Song Bird, I deem you an acceptable suitor. May the holy Harav bless your union.”

Rose and the Doctor spent the day hand in hand in the village learning more about the Harav and the people of the village. They joined in the preparations for the celebration. The Plumianto had temporarily moved into the village in preparation for the ceremony, although they kept to themselves.

The morning of the celebration found the entire village vibrating with anticipation and joy. Abhi pulled Rose aside. “Song Bird, you and your Doctor have asked to participate in the celebration of the most holy Harav. Our village believes it is an honor to participate in this celebration in giving thanks for all of the Harav’s blessings. Our protectors have consented to your joining in the festivities. We believe that it is the Harav’s will that you arrived in time for the celebration and that you have a special purpose here. We have prepared a special ceremony to honor both of you and your love for each other.”

“Thank you Abhi. The Doctor and I really appreciate you letting us join in your celebration. Would it be to much to ask if we might pay tribute to the Harav?”

Abhi smiled. “We would be pleased. How would you like to pay tribute?”

“Could the Doctor and I sing to the Harav?” Rose asked, tentatively.

Abhi smiled brightly. “Yes, yes! You must sing Song bird. I am sure the Harav would be pleased as would our protectors.”

“Thank you, Abhi!” Rose told him, and hugged him. She went back to the Doctor, who was sitting at a table with some of the villagers eating breakfast and told him about her conversation with Abhi.

“Nicely done, Rose! So when do we sing to the Harav?”

“I think we find that out later. Abhi’s daughter told me that the Plumiantos will prepare a special area and lead the celebration. Everyone dresses in their finest clothes and there’s prayers and singing to worship the Harav. Afterward, there’s a special feast, music and dancing all night long. Oh, and we have to dress up, but they have stuff for us to wear.”

“What’s wrong with my suit? I’m sure it’s clean by now,” the Doctor told, her a bit cranky.

“Doctor, they’re lettin’ us sing to their holy pig. I think you can make an exception. Besides, I’ve seen your suit and it’s a bit nasty,” she told him, wrinkling her nose.

He sighed. “Fine. But as soon as we get to Mumbai, we’re going to a tailor for a new suit and buyin’ some new chucks,” he told her, pouting adorably. She ruffled his hair and kissed him lightly. They helped with decorating the village, setting up tables and chairs until Abhi’s daughter and her husband pulled them in separate directions to prepare for the celebration.

Rose found herself with a group of women, bathing and splashing scented water on themselves. They dressed Rose in an elaborate red, white and gold print sari. The sari had an intricate patter of red flowers, swirls and lines almost entirely obscuring the white fabric with shimmering golden thread woven throughout. Her hands and feet were painted with henna in a design part of which reminded her of Gallifreyan writing along with swirls of traditional Indian design. 

She wore a number of bangle bracelets on her wrists and ankles and an intricate gold necklace studded with red stones. Her hair was pinned up but still loose and the women placed an elaborate gold tikka headpiece on her with a single red jewel teardrop hanging from the gold and red stone flower design sitting on her forehead. More fabric was wrapped over her head. Her eyes were lined with black kohl and by the time they were finished, she looked quite exotic. She turned to them. “It’s so beautiful. I can’t accept all this. It’s too much.” They smiled and assured her everyone would be dressed elaborately for the ceremony.

When the women emerged, the villagers were already walking to the celebration site. The village was decorated with bright fabrics and garlands of white and red flowers strung all over the huts and the trees around the village. Tables were set up and people were eating, drinking and dancing to the music. She looked up and saw the Doctor and stopped in awe. He stared back at her and looked her up and down with an intense and heated stare. He was dressed in a red and gold kurta which was a men’s cotton shirt that hung to his knees beneath which he wore matching loose cotton slacks and slippers on his feet. He wore a red and gold turban and looked regal to her. They were completely mesmerized by each other until he finally spoke.

“Hello,” he spoke softly to her, as he walked up and took her hands in his. 

The rest of the world could have fallen to pieces in that moment and neither of them would have had the slightest idea. Finally, someone called to them breaking the moment. They feasted with the brightly dressed villagers and clapped to songs. Vishal sat next to them smiling and laughing enjoying the party-like atmosphere. The Plumianto joined the celebration and as they had done previously with Rose at their campsite, called out toasts to the Harav as they drank Vitex. 

The Doctor turned to Rose. “You were serious about the Vitex. Pete’s never gonna believe this,” he said laughing. Of course, as the Vitex flowed, the Plumiantos became more boisterous and everyone joined them in dancing in celebration. Ponk ran up to Rose, pulled her up and swung her around to dance with all of them. The Doctor jumped up and joined in the dancing trying to get close to steal her away. 

Dancing with a Plumianto Warrior was quite the experience as they all twirled Rose around. She laughed as they threw her up in the air, caught her and swung her around as they danced around the tables. Just as the Doctor reached her, he ran smack into Ponk’s chest and slid to the ground unconscious. Rose ran to his side as did a few others who carried him to a cleared table and set him down. Abhi assured Rose he was fine and just had the breath knocked out of him. Ponk decided they should begin the blessing of the Harav and the music quieted. Rose listened to the prayers and blessings given and saw the Plumianto Warriors carry a out a litter with a very large black and white pig on it with a wreath of red flowers around its neck. If she hadn’t been so worried about he Doctor, she might have giggled over it.

Abhi walked over and took her hand. “It is time for your song.”

Rose nodded and walked with Abhi as the crowd parted before them. The Harav stood in an enclosed area on a dais. Colorful rugs were strewn before it and Rose knelt before the dais. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes visualizing the Doctor and slowly began to sing the song. She took her time to impart each note with the proper emphasis and emotion. The melody took on a haunting and emotional quality and not a sound was made while she sang. The Doctor regained consciousness in time to hear the last part of the song. He gazed at the look of pure love on her face and how it effected everyone around them and gained a more in depth understanding of what it meant to be human. When she finished, she looked up at Abhi who had tears in his eyes.

“Thank you, Song Bird. You have greatly honored not only the Harav but all of us.”

She rose and walked back through the crowd, who all smiled and cheered for her until she caught sight of the Doctor. She raced up to him and threw her arms around him. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“Oh me, I’m fine but you, Rose Tyler, were brilliant! You did it.” he leaned down and kissed her just as a crowd gathered around them and pulled them back toward the village. Soon they reached a clearing where one of the village elders awaited them. They were followed by the Plumianto once again carrying the Harav on the special flower decorated litter which they set down in front of Rose and the Doctor. A village elder asked them to kneel. He chanted a blessing over them. A wreath of flowers was placed over each of their heads. Rose turned to Abhi, who stood bedside her. “Abhi, what is this ceremony,” she whispered.

“Song Bird, it is time for you both to pledge your love and sanctify your union,” he told her, smiling. Rose turned to the Doctor, who stared at Abhi and then broke out into a grin. He turned to her and winked, and she realized what was happening.

“Doctor, are you okay with this?” she asked, worried.

“I’m better than okay,” he hoarsely and emotionally told her, grasping her hand as the elder chanted another prayer over them. 

He knew he wanted to be with Rose always, but didn’t realize how much he wanted this very human commitment until he saw her singing. She smiled at him as the elder finished his chant. He lit a fire within a large metal bowl and placed it on the ground and instructed them to walk around it seven times and gave them a book with a sacred vow for them to recite to each other. The Doctor helped Rose up and they began their circuit of the fire and recited the vow to each other.

"We have taken the Seven Steps. You have become mine forever. Yes, we have become partners. I have become yours. Hereafter, I cannot live without you. Do not live without me. Let us share the joys. We are word and meaning, united. You are thought and I am sound. May the night be honey-sweet for us. May the morning be honey-sweet for us. May the earth be honey-sweet for us. May the heavens be honey-sweet for us. May the plants be honey-sweet for us. May the sun be all honey for us. May the cows yield us honey-sweet milk. As the heavens are stable, as the earth is stable, as the mountains are stable, as the whole universe is stable, so may our union be permanently settled."

When they finished, the elder chanted another blessing over them as they knelt before the Harav. Suddenly, there was a shout and music was played and people started singing. The Plumiantos with huge grins on their face carried the Harav away. Ponk walked up to the Doctor.

“Take care Doctor. You have been entrusted with something incredibly precious.” He winked at Rose and turned to follow his men with the Harav. Rose and the Doctor turned and looked at each other and smiled. Soon the entire clearing was filled with villagers dressed in brightly colored clothing raising their arms and hands in intricate movements and dancing an elaborate dance in unison as they sang a song. Soon the Doctor and Rose, laughing and smiling joined them, quickly learning a few of the steps. The music, dancing and feasting lasted until late into the night.

The Doctor and Rose eventually snuck away to a hut that was decorated especially for them. The inside was lined with pillows, burning incense and garlands of flowers. Rose collapsed into the pillows and blankets and the Doctor fell down beside. As they lay side by side, they turned and faced one another grinning huge smiles. “Rose, we just got married in the jungle in a ceremony presided over by a pig in front of alien warriors.” They both broke out in hysterical giggling.

When they finally calmed down, Rose turned to him. “My Mum is gonna kill us!” The Doctor stared at her in horror, gently rubbing his cheek and realizing even more terrifying was the fact that, Jackie Tyler was now his mother-in-law.


	25. Home is No Honeymooon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose have completed there task singing to the holy pig. The villagers honored them with a Hindu wedding ceremony and partied the night away. They are now wrapping up their trip and heading back home to check on the TCB (Temporal Creature Below) and the TARDIS nursery

“Rose! Hand me that piece by your foot that looks like a hockey puck,” the Doctor asked, hanging upside down from a beam in the engine room of the Plumianto ship while he worked on repairs.

“You mean this?” Rose replied, handing him a small silver disc like object.

“Are you sure he knows what he’s doing?” asked Ponk, arms crossed and looking bored.

“Of course I know!" the Doctor said, peeking out from his precarious hanging position. "This, all this--" He waved his hands about the engine room. "is child’s play compared to a TARDIS.” The Doctor disappaered back into the engine.

“Right. The ship you don’t have any more because it’s in another universe,” Ponk responded sarcastically, leaning against the bulkhead.

“Stop it already," Rose snapped. "Both of you are driving me spare! Now then, Doctor, you have a list of what you need?” Rose asked.

“Yep!” The Doctor did a somersault and dropped down to the floor and showed Rose his hand which had markings on it in Gallifreyan. Rose looked up and glared at him. “I can’t exactly read this.”

“Oh, right, well, come along outside, and I suppose I’ll write it out for you on something.” He took Rose’s hand, and they walked out of the ship followed by Ponk.

“Are you sure about this. How do we know we can trust these friends of yours?” Ponk asked suspiciously.

“Don’t worry, Ponk, old friend," the Doctor responded with his typical enthusiasm. "Rose’s father happens to be the head of Torchwood London.”

“Is that suppose to make me feel better?” Ponk replied.

“Oh, did I mention he’s also the person who developed and owns Vitex?” the Doctor said with a knowing smile.

All the Plumianto stopped what they were doing and stared at Rose. “What?” she asked. Ponk grinned. “I knew I liked you! Why did I let the skinny mechanic marry you again?”

Rose grinned with a twinkle in her eyes but before she could say anything, the Doctor interrupted. “All right that‘s enough. I won her fair and square,” he told them, wrapping his arms around Rose.

She rolled her eyes. “Ponk, it’ll be all right. There shouldn’t be any problems as long as I can tell Pete that you’re not here to invade or harm anyone and that you just want to go home. Besides, it might just tickle him that you fancy Vitex,” she said with a smile. She looked up at the Doctor. “And as for himself here, I think last night’s ceremony sorted us.” She kissed the Doctor lightly on the lips.

The Doctor sat down, put on his brainy specs and began writing a list for Rose. “You know Ponk, you never did tell us why you were near Earth?" he asked.

“We didn’t intend on landing here. We were just doing some reconnaissance in this system. There’s a war, and it’s now spread across several galaxies. It won’t be long before it spreads to this system.”

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other. “What war? Who's involved?” the Doctor asked.

"The Rapacious Conglomeration seeks to control everything. They started attacking some of the smaller independent worlds and systems and no one did anything to stop them," Ponk explained. "The more worlds they assimilated, the more powerful they became. They infiltrate a world and take control of the political and economic authorities. Next, they arrive and offer economic incentives to join them and when that doesn’t work, it’s a show of power. Most of the smaller less advanced worlds succumb and if they fight, the Rapacious Conglomeration shows no mercy. They assassinate anyone who opposes them and take pleasure in making examples of any rebels who continue to stand against them." Ponk paced, a shadow falling across his face.

"My people saw the spread of them and began forming alliances with any world that would listen to us. We will not be ruled by a league of criminals and morally corrupt creatures. They rape the worlds they conquer. They sell off the resources without any concern for the indigenous species. They mean to dominate the universe.”

“How soon will they arrive here do you think?” Rose asked, her grip on the Doctor's shoulder tightening.

“They won’t if I have anything to say about it,” Ponk replied firmly.

The Doctor stood up and put his arm around Rose. “Ponk, I’m going to give you a way to contact Rose and I. If things go badly and this Rapacious Conglomeration is coming, we need to know. We won’t stand by while our world is being invaded.”

Ponk nodded, and the Doctor put his hand out and shook with Ponk. “We are agreed, Doctor. When we crashed here, the villagers accepted us and offered assistance. We have seen the best and worst of this world and we think it’s worth saving. These people aren’t ready for what’s out there.”

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose called Pete and asked him to deliver the parts they needed to repair the Plumianto ship. “Rose, are you sure about these Plumianto?” 

“Yeah, I’m sure. Pete, we have to help them. This war they're talkin’ about is serious. If we help them, it’ll help establish diplomatic relations. If it comes here, we’re gonna need help.”

“Agreed," Pete responded with a heavy sigh. "I’ll have to bring Minister Tibbs in on this. It would be best if you get back to London as soon as possible. I want you in on this meeting.”

“We'll be there as soon as we get the parts and get the Plumianto on their way. Oh, and Pete, one more thing. Do you think you could include a case of carbonated lemon-lime Vitex in that shipment?”

“A case of Vitex,” he said slowly.

“Yeah, they really like it. It’s sort of like a shot of vodka for them. You can send some right?”

After several moments of silence, Rose heard Pete chuckle. “Consider it done.”

“Thanks, Pete. Consider it a down payment for the future. Who knows, could be the first trade contract with aliens,” Rose teased. It only took two hours for the crate with the equipment they needed to be dropped by airplane into the jungle. It took the Doctor and the Plumianto another half a day to complete the repairs. When they were done, the Doctor and Rose were preparing to leave.

“Will you be okay, Ponk?” Rose asked.

He smiled and picked up her hand and kissed it. “We are the Premier Plumianto Platoon. We will prevail. Thank you, Rose.” He turned to the Doctor. “Doctor, we’re worried about the villagers. They will have no protection once we leave.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about them. The legend of their protectors will live on for several generations I think,” the Doctor told him. “Don’t forget, Ponk. If trouble is headed this way, let Rose and me know,” the Doctor reminded him.

“Somehow, Doctor, I think trouble is always headed toward you,” Ponk said and winked at Rose as he boarded his ship.

The Doctor and Rose returned to the village and met Vishal and Balraj, who had the elephants ready to return to Mumbai. Abhi and his daughter, met them and give them their wedding clothes as a gift.

“Oh, but we can’t accept this. It’s too much. Just being here and meeting all of you was gift enough,” Rose said as the Doctor wrapped an arm around her.

“No, Song Bird, you honored us and we take pleasure in giving this small gift to you. Be well Song Bird, Doctor,” Abhi said and bowed slightly.

The Doctor and Rose turned to Vishal and Balraj. “Well, as lovely as it would be to go tramping back through the jungle with you Balraj, Rose and I are catching another lift. Vishal, could we talk to you a moment in private.”

Rose handed Vishal an envelope of money from out of her back pack. “This is for you with a little extra. You know Vishal, if you want, you could come back to London with us and go to school.”

Vishal looked at the envelope and then at her and smiled. “My home is here, but thank you, Rose. Maybe someday I can visit you, and we can go on another adventure,” he suggested with a broad smile.

“You know, Vishal, if you were to, I don’t know, stay with Abhaya, we could stay in touch," the Doctor suggested. "Might be that we could use a contact in Mumbai to keep us up to date on anything out of the ordinary happening. Don’t suppose you might be interested in that?” The Doctor arched a brow at him.

“How much you gonna pay me?” Vishal asked, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Pay you! Isn’t the adventure reward enough?” the Doctor responded.

“Adventure doesn’t feed me, Doctor. How about 750 a month,” Vishal suggested.

“750! That’s piracy. 500, and not a rupee more.” The Doctor wagged a finger at him.

Vishal nodded and shook the Doctor’s hand. Rose hugged him and they both watched as Vishal and Balraj left. “Will he be all right?” Rose worried.

“Oh, he’s a survivor and clever. He’ll be just fine. Abhaya will keep honest. So you ready to get out of this jungle and back into clothes that are slightly less jungley smelling?”

She grinned and took his hand. He activated the transport and they arrived in the garden at Dutton Manor. They were just about to walk in the house when Perry called out to them.

“Doctor, Rose! You must come to the nursery immediately,” he told them, excitedly. “A most momentous development has occurred. Come you must see!” Rose and the Doctor followed him into the nursery and back to the area of the growing coral. They stood in awe at what was before them. All the coral had doubled in size.

“Beautiful!” the Doctor breathed out in awe. He turned to Perry. “When did this happen? We haven’t been gone that long.”

“I recorded an increase in growth shortly after you left. The growth rate continued and only just this morning seemed to stabilize,” Perry told him with a pleased smile.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned each piece, giving them words of encouragement as he walked around them. Rose made her way to the largest coral in the center, laid her check against it, closed her eyes and smiled. The Doctor walked up next to her and did the same. Rose gasped and opened her eyes and looked at the Doctor who had such a peaceful grin on his face. He pulled away slightly and looked at her.

“Did you hear it?” he asked her.

“I wasn’t sure, was it singing to us?”

He grinned in delight. “Yep! She sure is singing to us.” He turned to the coral and began caressing it. “Oh, you beauty, you! Yes you are a gorgeous young TARDIS, aren’t you.” Rose giggled as he continue to coo and pet the coral as he walked around it.

“So she’s about as tall as the original Tardis now," Rose mentioned looking up at the beige sparkling formation. "What happens next?”

“Oh, she has a bit more growing to do, but we’re definitely preparing for the next phase," the Doctor explained. "She’s been learning as she grows, but now she needs to sort of get her A levels and move on to university. You see, she has a natural understanding of time and temporal physics but there’s a lot more she needs to know before we can install a console and make her dimensional transcendental. The old girl below will help and mentor her but we still need to get her up to speed on this universe and how it works. Remember when we crashed here the first time? My Tardis couldn’t establish a time vortex. She wasn’t from this universe and didn’t have any connection to the way time runs here. Our little lady before us has the advantage of being grown here and has been reaching out to this universe, but she still needs a bit more help.”

“So, you going to tutor her then?” Rose asked, a bit amused.

“As a matter of fact, I am. Really, I’m doing it right now. When we touched her just now and she sang to us, we connected with her.”

“What, she’s in our minds?” Rose asked nervously, looking at the coral.

“Of course. You’re not still nervous about that, are you?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "It’s not like you haven’t already had my first TARDIS and the TCB in your head.”

“I know. It’s just still weird to think about is all," she answered. "I don’t want to mess her up cause I had a stray thought or you know, thought about you in that turban,” she said suggestively and tugged at his tie with a saucy grin.

“Rose Tyler, are you trying to corrupt our young TARDIS with impure thoughts,” he teased.

Her face crinkled up and she dropped his tie. “No! Doctor, that’s just not right,” she said, looking at the TARDIS coral and wondering what she must think of a randy human. The Doctor laughed.

“I wouldn’t worry about that. It’s not the same for a TARDIS," he assured her. "A, they don’t reproduce like non silicate life forms and 2 she’s more focused on connecting with the flow of time and reading timelines. Now then, this suit is done for.” He wrinkled his suit and tugged at a worn sleeve. “Let’s get inside, get changed and grab a bite to eat.” Rose agreed and they went inside to wash the jungle off and make plans for the next phase of TARDIS growth.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Two days later, Rose and the Doctor were pulling their car into Torchwood London. “Rose, explain to me again why we have to go to Torchwood when we are at such an important stage of the coral’s development,” the Doctor complained.

“Cause, Pete needs us here when he explains the intergalactic war threat to Minister Tibbs,” Rose explained. As they walked into reception and smiled hello at security, Rose told the Doctor he didn’t need to attend the meeting.

“You saying you don’t want me there,” he said pouting.

“No. You can come, but you’ll probably be bored. This is going to be all about making governmental protocols to deal with alien invasions and making treaties and alliances. Besides, I know you want to go check out any new alien tech they found since the last time we were here.”

“Well, if you put it that way…”

Rose laughed. “Go on. Go play with the new toys. Just try not blow anything up or turn the artifact room to ice or anything. She leaned over and kissed him as the elevator reached the top floor and she left for her meeting. The Doctor practically rubbed his hands together in glee as he hit the button for the basement.

On his way to artifacts, he ran into Jake. “Jake, how are things?”

“Could be better. We’re still having problems with those saber-toothed rats. I know you said we may never get rid of them but there must be something we can do.”

“Oh, yes, the Satous. Well, I might have an idea. How bad is it?”

“There was a parade and they swarmed out of the sewers and attacked a horse. Oh and then there was the clown incident and that was just weird.”

“Clown incident? Well, I’ve had a few bad experiences with clowns myself," He rocked back on his heels. "Don’t know what it is. They always seem bent on eating people, taking over the world or just being annoying. You’d think, something with painted on grin would be happy wouldn’t you?" 

Jake backed away and swallowed hard. "Eating people?" 

The Doctor ignored him. "Anyway, when Rose finishes with Pete and the politicians, we’ll lend a hand.”

“Give me a ring when you and Rose are ready,” Jake said before heading back to his office shuddering and mumbling about clowns.

The Doctor spent most of the day in the artifact room identifying a few newly found artifacts and slipping a few things into his pockets when no one was looking. He was in the middle of a vivid exposition on an alien mp3 player when Rose walked in and glared at him.

“Rose, I was just telling Terrence and Harold here about this holographic music recording device. All finished up with Pete then?”

“Did you tell Jake we would hike through the sewers hunting for saber-toothed rats?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Uh, maybe,” he answered, twirling his sonic screwdriver.

“We’re suppose to be having dinner with Mum and Pete tonight.”

“Yeah, well, you see this saber tooth rat thing, it’s out of hand and Jake needs our help," the Doctor insisted. "They attacked this parade and…. oh, the clown thing, very bad, very bad indeed.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Fine, we go with Jake and solve the rat thing and then tomorrow, we spend the day with Mum.”

“The entire day!” he whined.

She stared at him. 

“Right, yes. Been a while since we spent time with your lovely mother," he agreed with a nod. "Seems like ages since she assaulted me." He nervously ran a hand over his cheek.

“Good, Jake’s waiting on us. You got everything you need?” Rose asked him.

“Yep. Ready to stroll through the sewers and stalk some saber-toothed rats,” he said, enthusiastically. They left the artifact room and met Jake in the garage. He drove to a sewer entrance where they believed the main nest was, arriving just as the sun was starting to set. They suited up black Torchwood issue protection suits and Jake lifted the cover off the manhole.

“You two ready?”

“Yeah, let’s get this over with,” Rose told him, as she put her hair up in a pony tail, buckled the Teflon protective jacket and pulled on her wellies.

“Doctor, you sure you’re okay with just your suit and no protective gear?” Jake asked, eyeing his trainers.

“I’ve got everything I need, Jakey,” he responded with a cheeky grin and tossed his sonic up and caught it behind him.

“Right, let’s move out," Rose ordered.

Jake went down first, followed by Rose and then the Doctor. The other Torchwood team was on an opposite end with several large crates. Jake hopped down into the sewer water, turned on his headlamp as well as a large torch and scouted the area. “Looks good!” he shouted up to Rose, his voice echoing down the tunnel. Rose hopped down next, turning on her headlamp and grimaced. The Doctor followed making a splash as he landed. Rose looked down at his trainers and then up his suit.

“That suit and those trainers are so being trashed when we’re done down here. We’ll never get the smell and whatever out.”

“Thrown out! No! I like this suit and I’m not losing another pair of trainers,” he said outraged at the thought.

“Oi! You two, enough with the domestics. Let’s hunt some alien rats, okay,” Jake shouted at them.

They splashed and slogged their way through the dark, filthy, stench filled sewers. The Doctor muttered about human waste management while Rose made faces at the vile odor. Periodically, they would hear some scratching and hissing noises but so far, they only found common London rats. Suddenly, they heard a piercing screeching noise and ran toward it. Jake slid to a stop as before them were at least a hundred of the three foot long saber-toothed rats which appeared to have several animals half eaten or dying.

“Blimey, that’s a lot of carnivorous alien rats!” Rose exclaimed, taking a step back

“Bloody Hell! They’ve been to the zoo!” Jake exclaimed.

“Are those lemurs? I like lemurs,” the Doctor said, a growl inflecting his voice.

“Um, they’re lookin’ at his like we’re next on the menu,” Rose said, nervously taking out her stun gun.

“They ate the monkeys!” Jake shouted in outrage.

“Penguins!” the Doctor shouted, staring at the remains of the black and white birds. “Oh that is it! You snacked on the wrong species this time!” the Doctor raged at them, pulling out his sonic and a recorder. He activated the sonic and started to play the recorder. The encroaching rats hesitated. The hissing and growling quieted. The longer he played, the more they seemed to calm and quietly watch him.

He slowly took a step forward and they parted before him. He walked through the bloodied animal corpses and slowly made his way down the sewer. Soon the saber-toothed rats were following him. Jake looked at Rose mouth agape. Rose shrugged her shoulders and followed the hoard of mesmerized rats. 

As they walked slowly behind the rats, grimacing at the dead and rotting corpses, they heard scuffling and hissing sounds behind them. Rose looked slowly over her shoulder and gasped. Hundreds more alien rats were rampaging down the tunnel toward them. Jake grabbed Rose and tugged her up a service ladder. They watched in horrified awe as the rats ran toward the Doctor.

“Jake, should we do something?” Rose whispered to him, worried about the Doctor.

Jake pulled out his phone and called Torchwood team ahead to warn them and then called the Torchwood command center to request back up and more storage containers. He turned to Rose. “You want to run in the middle of hundreds of carnivorous alien rats and ask him?”

Rose turned and looked worriedly down the tunnel and could still hear the Doctor playing. She looked back up to Jake. “I’m not leaving him. You can stay here but I’m following those things. I want him back in one piece.” Rose hopped down and carefully made her way through the tunnel. 

Jake muttered under his breath about saber-toothed rats and sonic nutters before following Rose. When he reached her, she just stood staring straight ahead seemingly mindless of the giant saber-toothed rats squirming around her. Jake looked up and swore softly. The Doctor had reached the end of the tunnel where the team and had set up some massive sized cages to capture the rats. He had climbed on top of containers and was continuing to play the recorder as if he was giving a concert to the rats. The rats were climbing all over themselves to get close. Several of the Torchwood agents were gently sweeping them into the containers, sealing them and hauling them away.

Rose turned to Jake. “He’s the bloomin’ pied piper of saber-toothed rats,” she told him, grinning. Jake shook his head. 

“Only the Doctor would come up with something this loony,” he told her. By the time the last of the alien rats were swept in and locked up, the Doctor was ready to collapse from playing.

“Blimey, I miss my respiratory bypass!” he said panting.

“Nice job, Doctor,” Jake told him, slapping him on the back. Rose, of course, hugged him. They climbed out of the sewer to find two large trucks filled with the now aggravated and growling saber-toothed rats. The Doctor turned to Jake. “What’s next for our carnivorous friends?” he asked.

“Well, some will be placed in the Torchwood reserve beneath the zoo. Honestly, Doctor, we don’t have room for all of them so…” Jake just sort of trailed off.

“You’re gonna destroy them,” the Doctor said, unhappy with this turn in event.

“Well, you got a better idea? We just can’t let’em loose in the woods. They’d eat everything and hurt someone,” Jake told him, a bit defensively.

“Why don’t we put them in storage while we sort this out. We can knock them out with that sleep gas Torchwood developed until we figure it out,” Rose suggested.

Two of the Torchwood agents who had just transferred from another branch heard this and stormed over. “Now see here sweetheart, you and your tree hugger boyfriend go worry about saving the whales. These things shouldn’t be here and have been eating their way through the zoo not to mention what they do to people. I’m not gonna stand here listening to you two worrying about some alien rats, specially after some of our agents were injured by these monsters," the agent snarled. "So why don‘t you take your cute little arse somewhere else.” He emphasized his point by shoving her aside by putting his hands where he shouldn‘t.

The next thing that happened would be fodder for Torchwood gossip for years to come. The Doctor, whose temper was slowly rising during the agent’s tirade, culminated in the most formidable display of the oncoming storm Rose had ever witnessed.

“Take your hand off my wife’s arse, you ignorant, prejudiced ape,” the Doctor said in a quiet, tight, enraged voice, his eyes as black as onyx. He took a step toward the agent, towering over him, his body language depicting a leashed violence about to erupt. The whole area crackled with some unidentifiable but disturbing energy that immediately put everyone on edge.

“Easy now. Let’s everyone calm down," Jake said in an even voice before turning toward the agent in question. "You, Phillips, you’re relieved. Get back to Torchwood now! I’ll deal with you when I get back!” Jake growled at him.

Rose meanwhile had gone over to the Doctor. “Doctor. Please look at me. It’s all right. Jake’ll set him straight. Please,” she said softly to him, running her hand up and down his arm. 

Finally, he took a deep breath and looked at her. “I’m sorry,” he said softly and pulled her in his arms. “I can’t stand people like that and then he… Well, he shouldn’t have touched you. No one touches you unless you want them to,” he said, his voice now muffled in her neck.

Jake tentatively walked over to the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor was calming thanks to Rose. He looked up at Jake who was starting to smile. 

“Sorry about those two. They were way out of line. If they disagreed, they should have handled it with me. Pete’s gonna hear about this and not gonna be happy,” Jake assured them.

“Please don’t make this about what he did to me, Jake," Rose asked. "You know I don’t want anyone to say he got punished or sacked because of something he said or did to Pete’s daughter.”

“Rose, doesn’t matter if it was you or me. What he did was wrong and against Torchwood policy." Jake was adamant. "He’ll be up for review on this one, and he did it in front of two teams. Don’t worry yourself about it. I’ll handle it. Now, about what was discussed.”

The Doctor sighed. “I’m sorry for making a stink about this, Jake. I just don’t like the thought of being responsible for leading any living thing to its death. I wish there was a way we could ship them off world.”

Jake smiled. “Oh, the rats. Well, I’ll talk to the Torchwood astrobiologists and see if they have any ideas. I was talking about the other thing.”

“What other thing?” Rose asked.

“Seems to me, the Doctor here just called you his wife,” Jake said with a huge grin.

Rose froze for a moment and looked up at the Doctor. He stared at her with wide eyes. “Uh, I did?” he asked innocently.

“Yeah, you did,” Jake acknowledged nodding his head. “Didn’t he team,” Jake shouted over his shoulder. Several voices shouted back, “Yes!” “He sure did!” “Heard it clearly back here!”

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other in horror. “Well, Jake, it’s not exactly like it sounds. It’s a bit complicated,” Rose tried to explain, worriedly playing with her torch.

“Oh, come on, Rose. No getting out of this one. You two snuck off and got hitched, didn’t ya?” Jake teased.

“Well, not exactly, and when I say not exactly, I might mean accidentally and not intentionally,” the Doctor said, fidgeting. Several people laughed and snickered in the background.

“Jake, you can’t tell anyone, 'specially Pete or Mum.” Rose looked up at the team members who were loading up and preparing to leave. “Really, you lot. You can’t say anything.” Several people smiled, saluted and left to transport the alien rats back to Torchwood. Jake just grinned. 

“You know Torchwood, Rose.” Jake patted her on the shoulder, winked and left to get the SUV for the long, uncomfortable trip back to Torchwood.

The Doctor looked at Rose. “Uh, Rose, maybe it’s time we traveled a bit, maybe South America?”

Rose looked up a him. “We are in so much trouble.”


	26. Fraunk Will Make It All Fabolous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor assisted Jake with a Torchwood mission in the sewers successfully helping capture the saber-toothed rats. Unfortunately, some TW agents weren’t happy with their idea to try and preserve the rats and acted aggressively toward Rose. Welll, you know the Doctor, no one acts that way towards his Rose and he accidentally disclosed that Rose sorta might be his wife now. Oops. Jackie found out, of course, and well, here we are. The character of Fraunk is based on the character of the same name who was the outrageous wedding coordinator from the 1991 movie Father of the Bride.
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to A Who in Whoville who most brilliantly suggested Fraunk. Thanks Who!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Doctor Who or Father of the Bride or any of their wonderful characters

Rose and the Doctor sat side by side on the sofa in the formal living room at the Tyler mansion. Jackie and Pete sat opposite them with a bottle of Carmenere and several glasses of wine on the table between them. Rose leaned over and picked up her glass and took a long sip. Pete swirled the wine in his glass in front of him. Jackie sat stiffly staring at the Doctor. The Doctor was fidgeting and looking anywhere except at Jackie. He moved to rest his trainer clad foot on the table and Jackie narrowed her eyes. He very quickly removed said foot and picked up his own glass of wine.

Finally, the uncomfortable silence was broken.

“So, which one of you is going to tell me about why I should hear from Mary at Torchwood that my daughter ran off and married her alien nutter boyfriend in India in some weird ceremony,” Jackie asked, staring daggers at both of them.

“Well Mum, it’s not exactly like you heard,” Rose tried to explain, playing with the rim of her wineglass.

“Really, cause they way I heard it, himself told off some git for slapping his wife on the arse,” she said, increasing the glaring at both of them.

Rose winced. “Yeah, well you see when we were in India, we met these villagers who sort took a liking to us. They were having this festival to celebrate this holy pig and one thing sort of led to another and there was this ceremony and well….” Rose trailed off.

“Let me get this straight." Jackie didn't hide the the annoyed lilt her voice. "You go off to India and go tromping about through the jungle and just happen across a village where they’re celebrating some holy pig. And then you accidentally got married by the pig! Do you really expect me to believe that?” Jackie asked, and banged here wine glass on the table.

Pete sipped of his wine to try and stifle the laugh threatening to burst forth. Jackie turned and glared at him.

“It’s not funny Pete!”

“Mum, it wasn’t exactly like that. It was a really lovely ceremony. They gave us these traditional Indian clothes to wear and there was dancing and everything. They were real nice to us. We didn’t plan on a marriage ceremony. I mean, when we knew what it was, we couldn’t exactly stop it. It would have been rude,” Rose tried to explain.

Jackie turned to the Doctor. “Somehow, I know this is all his fault isn’t it. My daughter will not be married by a pig. You are going to do this proper like. You can settle down long enough to take vows and at least pretend like you’re normal,” Jackie lectured.

“Like Rose said, it wasn’t exactly planned." The Doctor tugged nervously at his collar. "Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time we accidentally got married,” the Doctor explained, without realizing how much trouble he was about to be in.

“What!” Jackie exclaimed as her face reddened.

“Doctor!” Rose said in a tight voice. She hoped he'd get the hint but he seemed intent on babbling.

“Remember Ickythorp? The planet with the taffy carnival? We shared the oobiberry taffy and got it all wrapped around us and we had to eat our way out. They sort of considered us married after that,” he said and then realized Jackie heard his confession and focused nervously on his tie.

“Seriously?” Caught up in the story, Rose couldn't help the bubble of joy she felt.

“Yep! That’s why everyone kept throwing those colorful ribbons at us.”

“Oh, I thought they were just being friendly. You never said anything.”

“Wellll, you know how I was back then. Besides, we got a little side tracked with the whole zzzantz invasion.”

“Oh yeah. They wanted to turn your leather coat into candy,” Rose commented, smiling and bumped her shoulder with his. He grinned with glee in return.

“You two are loony you are!" Jackie sighed in exasperation. "I always knew you two wouldn’t do anything normal but this… Well, enough is enough. I told you that Pete and I wanted to do this wedding for you and now that’s what’s gonna happen. No more alien weird stuff.” Jackie reached down and pulled a notebook out of the couch cushions and opened it up.

“Lucky for you that I’m prepared. This is your wedding planner book and I’ve already hired the wedding coordinator. It wasn’t easy but I convinced him to fit us in. Now then, we’re not leaving this room until a date is picked.”

“Oh, do we have to,” the Doctor whined.

“Yes, now stop your whinging. Now, do you want a winter or spring wedding?”

At this point, Rose knew she needed to get some control. “February,” Rose said decisively.

“Oh Rose, a valentines day wedding is so kitschy!” Jackie's face scrunched up.

“I wasn’t thinking about valentine’s day. Rose reached over and took the wedding planner book and opened up the calendar to February. She closed her eyes and pointed to a day. There, we’ll do it on this day.” Rose handed the book and calendar back to Jackie.

“You’re just going to pick some random day?” Jackie asked, in dismay.

“Yep!” Rose answered, smiling. She turned to the Doctor. “Random’s always been good for us. Right, Doctor?”

“Love Random!” he responded grinning.

Jackie sighed. “Fine. I’ll call Fraunk and have him meet us tomorrow morning.”

“Fraunk?” the Doctor asked her, making a face.

“The wedding coordinator. The best in London. He does all the society weddings.”

“Oh Mum, no! We don’t want some social event. We just want a simple wedding. Promise me you won’t turn this into some big ta-doo,” Rose pleaded.

“Says the girl who got married by a pig!” Jackie shook her head. “You’re gonna have a proper wedding.”

“Just promise us you won’t invite a bunch of people we don’t know, okay?”

Finally, Pete spoke up. “All right you two, this is your wedding and of course you get a say. What Jackie means is that we want it to somewhat fit into human standards. We’ve all watched the two of you struggle and come together. We just want to celebrate all of us becoming a family.”

Rose looked at Pete, tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Pete,” she whispered with emotion. As the Doctor and Rose went up to their room for the night, he continued to mutter about Jackie’s wedding planning.

“What kind of wedding planner has a name like Fraunk,” the Doctor mocked.

“Zip it Mr. ‘get your hand off my wife’s arse’. This is your fault so just deal with it,” Rose told him.

“We could run away,” he said, hopefully.

“Right, and who knows what she would do. You want to risk that?”

He winced. “Uh, No.”

The next morning, Fraunk flounced into the Tyler mansion in a tailored, modern navy suit, a thin designer tie and scented with the posh cologne. He was followed by an equally trendy assistant. Fraunk was a lean, fashion forward man with black slicked back hair about the Doctor’s height with a peculiar accent.

“Mrs. Tyler, oh and here’s the bride! A plessure to mot you. Oh, the grome is here toe, fabolous! Now, let’s toke about our big doy.

The Doctor turned and looked at Rose. “You are kidding me. There is no way he’s not an alien. I speak over five billion languages and even I can barely understand what he’s trying to say,” he whispered. Rose shushed him.

“So toke to Fraunk, whot does the bride thank about a dayette.”

“A dayette?” asked the Doctor, cocking his head to one side.

“9th of February to be held here at the mansion. Do you think you can arrange it by then?” Jackie asked him, ignoring the Doctor.

He pulled out his iphone. “Wont to have it at yore home on 9 Febory. Oh I love the waddings at homes! They are just so pursonable. Well, it’s a little bit tight but it will be spectacolar!

“Let’s talk all about our big doy. I like to start with the cack.”

“Sorry, the cack?” the Doctor said, squinting at Fraunk.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Cake Doctor, he wants to talk about the cake. Blimey, thought you’d be happy bout that,” Jackie said with an eye roll.

“Oh, yes well that is one of the rules,” the Doctor said, crossing his arms and trying to look stern.

“So sorry, explan the grome’s rools to Fraunk.” 

“Well Fraunk, it must be banana cake with edible ball bearings,” the Doctor announced.

“Banonna. Well, I tink we can doe that. Anything else,” Fraunk asked, smiling as his assistant took notes.

“Yes, no pears and I mean none. Not even a little. Oh, and I want a chocolate fountain,” the Doctor continued, nodding his head to affirm this edict.

Fraunk’s eyes widened a bit but he recovered quickly. “Ah see and whot doss the Bride thank?”

“Fine by me,” Rose said cheerily. Jackie covered her eyes and shook her head.

“Fairy well. I will orange a cack tasting for tomorrow. Yo can finalize flavers then. Now, on toe dacore.” Frank’s assistant handed him a large book. “Thank yo dear assistant. The Cack dacore often determine whot kind of wadding you are having. Now, this one right here, is a very popular cack with fasionable waddings. Whot doss the Bride thank?”

“Oh, well I don’t know. Doctor what do you think?” Rose asked looking at the Doctor who was peering intently at the pictures in the book.

“These are all so…floral,” the Doctor said, with distaste.

“Wall yass. Most waddings do tradotionally have the floral dacore. We con, of course, doe whotevah the bride wants,” Fraunk said, flourishing his hands about as he spoke. “Porhops the bride wants something a bit more modarn?”

“Yes, that’s it. Good man Fraunk! Now your getting it!” the Doctor told him, slapping him on the shoulder. Fraunk nearly fell off the chair at the Doctor’s enthusiastic slap of the shoulder but seemed to bear it with good humor.

“Yas, wall, perhaps the bride and grome could give Fraunk an ezample or pitcher toe daytermin a tame?”

The Doctor stared at him a moment before he could decipher what Fraunk was talking about. Finally Rose leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Oh, brilliant idea Fraunk. Hand me some paper will you?” Fraunk handed the Doctor some paper and a pen and with a few swift strokes the Doctor provided him with a design.

“Ah see. The grome is quite the arteest. Fairy good. I woll send to the cack designer so he woll have something for you to see tomorrow. Now, how about the collars?”

“I think lavender would be lovely,” Jackie told Fraunk, her eyes lit up.

“Lavender! No, no, no. It’s so pastel,” the Doctor complained making a face as if he had tasted something disgusting. “Why not blue? Tardis blue right, Rose?” the Doctor asked her, with puppy dog eyes.

“So, the grome has more rools." Fraunks voice lilted up as he slashed something on some paper. "No pastels and no florals and he wonts blau.” Fraunk reached over and grasped one of Rose’s hands and looked at her with almost a pleading look. “So mah dear bride, whot are you thanking.”

Before Rose could speak, Jackie jumped up. “That’s it! Doctor, take a walk. Rose and I will finish this up. I’m not going to sit her and listen to you whine about everything. Enough is enough. If Rose wants flowers and pastels, that‘s what she‘s getting,” Jackie told him, firmly drawing the battle lines.

The Doctor turned to Rose. “What’s wrong with blue? I didn’t say no flowers just not so florally. Rose understands don’t you?” the Doctor said, looking at Rose pleadingly.

Rose started to say something when Fraunk’s loyal assistant, Howard, spoke up. “Mrs. Tyler, Doctor, why don’t we walk around the grounds while Fraunk and Ms. Tyler chat about the details.”

Jackie turned her aggravation toward Howard. “But I’m her mother and I’m here to help,” Jackie said firmly.

“Howard’s right, Jackie. Let’s leave Rose to it, shall we?” the Doctor said, and nodded at Rose. Rose smiled and nodded back.

“Mum, I really appreciate all of this. You’ve done so much work. There’s simply tons that still has to be done. Why don’t I handle the rest of this stuff with Fraunk so you can work with Howard to plan where everything will go? The Doctor doesn’t need to do that. I’m sure he has other things to do. Don’t you, Doctor?”

“Yes, Yes I do. So I will just be off, doing other things, important things, things that must be done.” He nodded gratefully at Rose and quickly escaped.

“If you’re sure, sweetheart. I just want to help,” Jackie said, her voice cracking slightly.

“I know mum, and I’m so grateful. Thanks for taking care of this. It means so much to both the Doctor and I,” she said softly and with feeling.

After they were alone, Fraunk smiled and patted her on the hand. “The bride always knows bast.” Fraunk and Rose finished working out the wedding details by the time Jackie and Howard returned.

The next morning Rose and the Doctor met Fraunk at Orgasme de Bouche for the cake tasting. The Doctor couldn’t help but smile at the name of the cake shop and whispered the translation into Rose’s ear making her blush and giggle. Fraunk was his typical flouncy self this time dressed more casually in a light blue dress shirt, slacks and a scarf wrapped around his neck.

“Doctor don’t,” Rose warned. under her breath.

“Don’t what? Don’t make an observation that he could learn from my fashion sense,” he told her sniffing and preening. Rose rolled her eyes.

“Here they are the bride and grome!” Fraunk said, clapping his hands. “Ms. Tyler, Grome, may I present to yo, Francois, the patisserie designer. Francois bowed. Before they could continue with the tasting, Jackie walked in.

“Mrs. Tyler! Oh, I was not espocting yo. Pless have a set.” Fraunk told her, maintaining his composure despite the surprise.

“Mum, I didn’t know you were coming?” The Doctor raised an eyebrow and leaned away from Jackie.

“Like I’m gonna miss my only daughter’s cake tasting. Besides, you needed back up in case himself here misbehaves,” Jackie asssured as she settled down next to Rose. “So, what are we tasting today?”

“Wall, Francois thought he would began with the design randerings.”

Francois showed them several water colored renderings showing a five tiered eclectic, modern cake in white, silver with Tardis blue scroll work and quite clearly marked with edible ball bearings.

“I love it!” Rose exclaimed practically bouncing up and down in her seat. She looked over at the Doctor with an infectious grin and he was smiling too.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, looking at her affectionately.

“Fabolous!” Fraunk exclaimed. “Francois is a janyus.” Francois bowed slightly and clapped his hands for two of his assistants to bring out several plates with cake samples. “Francois has prepared many samples so you can chose any other flavers you wont in addition to bonanna,” Fraunk explained. This is the point at which Rose should have known things would become difficult.

First was vanilla cake with raspberry and lemon filling. Jackie adored it. The Doctor made a face and stuck his tongue out to wipe it off with a napkin. Jackie muttered “disgusting alien” under her breath while Rose put her hand over her eyes. Next was chocolate cake with strawberries and chocolate ganache. Rose closed her eyes in ecstasy. “Oh that’s heavenly!” she told Fraunk.

The Doctor loved it so much he tried to knick some of Rose’s and she had to slap his hands. The next flavor was the banana cake with cream cheese and a crunchy cinnamon filling. The Doctor closed his eyes, took a deep breath and practically shouted “Molto Bene!” He turned to Rose. “Maybe I should finish off yours because I think maybe I need to try some more to be sure,” the Doctor said, licking his lips staring lovingly at her piece of cake.

“Oh just give it to him so he’ll shut his gob.” Jackie told Rose, shaking her head.

There were several more tastings some of which the Doctor liked and others he hated and one that exclaimed “That’s disgusting!” Rose tried to placate Francois by explaining the Doctor’s sensitive taste buds. Francois nodded but stared disdainfully at the Doctor. When it was all said and done, they had chosen the banana, the chocolate and a white cake with coconut and white chocolate filling. They bid goodbye to Fraunk who assured them that everything would be fabolous. He promised to email Rose updates as things progressed and with anything else she needed to decide. Jackie was put in charge of preparing the house for the wedding and reception. Rose promised to return to London later so she, Jackie and Fraunk could dress shop.

On the drive home, the Doctor and Rose discussed the next Eternal task.

“So what’s it this time? Hiking up a volcano and doing a tap dance?” Rose teased.

The Doctor smiled. “Nope! It’s the Eternal’s version of cleaning the Augean Stables.”

Rose wrinkled her nose. “And I thought the sewers were bad.”

“So, Eurystheus was ticked because good old Herc was so successful with all his other tasks, so he gave Herc an assignment to humiliate him. He was to clean the Augean Stables which housed immortal livestock which produced an enormous quantity dung. Now, these stables had not been cleaned in over thirty years and with over a thousand cattle, well you can imagine the mess. The real kicker was he had to do it in a day.”

“What’d he do?” Rose asked.

“Clever Herc rerouted the rivers Alpheus and Peneus to wash out the filth. Voila, clean stables. Course, he was accused of cheating but I think they were just sore cause he used his brain to solve the problem.”

“Doctor, tell me were not shovelin….”

“What! No, not quite. It’s bit more…advanced.”

“Advanced how?”

“Well, you see there’s this frigate floating around the T’okel system that has been there for well probably a century or more and it’s sort of filled with refuse.”

“Refuse? Exactly how much refuse are we talking about?”

“Considering that people have been using it for a dumping ground for a century, um, lots.”

“And we have to clean it?” Rose asked, her voice pitching up in horror.

“Yup! But, the good news is we have more than a day. We have what would work out to be about one Earth week from today to do it. See, plenty of time.”

Rose turned and eyed him with skepticism. “A week for us to find transport to the garbage scow and clean it all neat and tidy?”

“Piece of cake!” the Doctor said waving his hand in the air.

“How we gonna clean it? I mean, can we just open an airlock?”

“What, and pollute the space around it? No, we can’t do that. The task prohibits us from transferring the trash into orbit instead of on the ship.” the Doctor explained. “Don’t worry, it’s near a quark star. I’m thinking we might be dumping the waste so it’s burned up by the star, put the ship in a nice safe orbit and be home in time for tea.”

“That’s about the time everything goes pear shaped,” Rose reminded him.

“Nah. Trust me. It’ll be fine.”

“You never did say how’re we gonna get there. You got another friend to give us a lift?”

“Oh, you are gonna love this!" He bounced in his seat. "Torchwood had a vortex manipulator in storage. They just tossed it aside like it was nothing!” 

“You nicked it from Torchwood?”

“Well, they were just going to toss in it the bin. It’s not like they’ll miss it and besides it was broken until I got a hold of it,” the Doctor told her, looking pleased with himself.

“You cannot tell Pete or anyone else you took something like that.” Rose pressed her fingers into her temples

“Rose, relax. It’ll be fine. Torchwood shouldn’t have it anyway. Besides, we shouldn’t need it much at the rate the coral is growing. I’m thinking we’ll have a working TARDIS in a couple of months.”

“Really!” Rose asked, excitedly.

“Course, it’ll just be space for now. It’ll take some fine tuning before she’s ready for time travel and we may need to make some runs for parts.”

“This is so much faster than we thought. What made the difference?”

The Doctor grinned hugely at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Us. We made the difference. After I reviewed the readings for the past month, I was able to pin down a spike and it happened right after we um visited the nursery.”

“What do you mean? Did we do something?”

“Oh yesss! We certainly did. Several times actually. I might have been a bit fantastic," he sniffed and sat up straighter. "Course, you were brilliant too,” he told her cockily, and smiled even more if that was possible.

“Doctor, what are you saying?”

“You remember our little picnic in the nursery after our trip to Crescere?”

“Oh yes." She nodded and blushed as she thought back to that day. Then it hit her. "Oh that picnic. The picnic where dessert was a bit, well us?”

“Yep!”

“Are you saying we..." She swallowed hard. "That is we did it while we were um shagging?”

“Oh yesss! Quit Write too!” The Doctor waggled his eyebrows at her.

“But how does shagging help a TARDIS grow? I mean it’s a bit disturbing. I don’t get it?”

“Well you see, you and I we’ve got artron energy in us and some traces of huon radiation and when we shag, we sort of tune into each other and focus it in a powerful burst. Basically wham, bam, Doctor/Rose explosion of passion and supercharged artron energy. Ha! Oh we are good!” He slapped his hand on the steering well.

Rose wrinkled her nose and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “And you don‘t think that’s a bit weird?”

“What? No, of course not!" the Doctor exclaimed. "It’s not like they knew what we were doing and even if they did, they wouldn’t quite understand. They’re a silicate temporal life form that has no reference to how non silicate life forms reproduce. I mean really, if they were to notice exactly what we were doing at the time, it would be more of a scientific observation.”

“And that makes is soooo much better.” Rose told him, planting her face in her hands.

“Maybe we should focus on the fact that soon we’ll have our own transport again?" the Doctor suggested. "We still do have several tasks to complete,” the Doctor reminded her in an attempt to distract her from her concerns.

Rose nodded. “Right, so we’re leaving in the morning then?”

“That’s the spirit! Yep, we’ll get ready tonight and leave bright and early in the morning.”

Rose sighed. “Guess I better think of something to tell Mum in case we get stuck on some floating trash ship.”


	27. Never Underestimate Space Trash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose are on their next task which is based on cleaning the Augean Stables. They must clean the trash out of an abandon space frigate drifting in space but can’t just open the airlocks. They have to have a way to dispose of it. The Doctor of course has a plan. Thanks to the Doctor knicking a vortex manipulator from Torchwood, they are about to arrive to start their task….
> 
> Credit to JollyRoger1 on ff for the inspired comment that this task is “Intergalactic Spring Cleaning” Thus, it has been included in this chapt.

The Doctor and Rose landed side by side on their backsides with a thump on the cold metal grating.

“Time travel without a capsule. Always an experience,” he said with a groan. He sat up brushing off his suit. Rose winced next to him gripping her head.

“Why does it always give you a headache,” Rose moaned.

“Well, you see, it’s the forces of the …”

“Doctor, that was just a figure of speech,” Rose interrupted him. The Doctor turned on his torch and shined it around the dark interior. They appeared to be in the engine room. The air was stale with a metallic odor mixed with a scent of decay and their was a slight humming noise emitted from the metal walls. The Doctor sniffed as he explored.

“This is definitely the place. Although, it really could be worse when you think about it. Doesn’t look bad although it doesn’t appear anyone’s been around in a while either,” he told Rose, as he explored and poked a few control panels.

“Do you think the engines will work?” Rose asked as she walked close behind him looking around as far as she could see in the dark.

“Maybe. I’ll have to get a closer look. First, we should make sure we have some environmentals working; and then we’ll make our way to the bridge to get our bearings.”

While the Doctor tried to find some controls to test the atmosphere in the ship, Rose turned on her own torch and explored ducking beneath metal beams and walking around darkened control panels. There wasn’t much to see in the engine room. She certainly didn’t see anything she would call trash. She assumed the trash must be in the rest of the ship. Suddenly, the overhead lights flickered and turned on.

“Ha!” the Doctor shouted.

The lighting revealed a space filled with pipes, struts, metal grating and ladders leading below and above them. There were several control panels with screens with symbols flowing across them surrounded by flashing lights. To their left was what looked like a doorway although whoever built this ship must be much smaller as it was about a foot shorter than Rose’s height.

The Doctor hopped down from a ladder next to Rose. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand, an excited grin on his face. 

Rose smiled, now feeling his zest for this adventure and nodded her head. The Doctor soniced the door open and they stared into a fathomless inky blackness as a very slight cool breeze of air carried a stronger scent of the stale decay they smelled when they arrived. Rose coughed and covered her mouth. The Doctor shined his torch into the blackness and crawled through the door. As he stepped into the corridor, the lights activated revealing not an empty corridor but one filled from floor to ceiling with all manner of detritus. There were wires, scrap metal, old parts and devices along with bags overflowing with all manner of trash. There was a narrow passage amongst the debris which they could squirm their way through.

“Doctor, are you sure about this?” Rose asked, with distaste at the thought of squeezing her way through decaying trash filled with who knew what.

“Oh come on, Rose Tyler! You’ve never been one to be squeamish before," he said with a bit too much exuberance for Rose's comfort. "It’s just a little refuse. I promise, we get to the bridge and it will be easy peasy after that,” the Doctor assured, snapping his fingers and trying to cajole her past her distaste at digging her way through multiple corridors of filth.

“You are so taking me out to a nice dinner after this,” she said with a shake of her head.

The Doctor moved forward squeezing his way through piles of debris. He called back to Rose, advising her what to step on and what to avoid. Rose found herself rubbing against things she didn’t want to think about that left smudges of green, black and brown on her blue leather jacket which she had zipped up to her neck. 

She didn’t even want to think about what was sticking to her hair. The only good thing was the temperature was quite cold which probably kept the stench of rotting and decomposing trash from being too overwhelming. There were a few moments when the Doctor halted their progress when Rose felt overwhelmed by some odor which she could, thankfully, not identify. The Doctor did warn her that they may need to pull out masks as some of the chemical compounds in the decomposing trash could be dangerous.

The only light moments to the foul trek was the Doctor’s, exclamations of wonder as he found some fascinating piece of refuse that captured his attention. “Ohhh Rose, look at this! Can you believe they threw this away? Oh, I have to have this!” Said item was shoved into his bigger on the inside pockets

“Doctor, we’re supposed to be cleaning it out and disposing of it not take it all home,” Rose reminded him, worried at how many “treasures” he seemed to be discovering. He turned at one point and pouted giving her the puppy dog eyes. Rose was in no mood to indulge him.

“So help me, if you try and haul all this back into the house, I’m gonna smack you,” she said as she squeezed between two pieces of metal covered in some kind of black greasy residue.

He sighed and continued on his way to the bridge. At the end of the corridor, was a lift. He soniced the doors open but the lift was not functioning.

“Well, there’s good news and bad news,” he told her. “The good news is it looks like we have a break from pushing our way through the rubbish. The bad news is the lift isn’t functioning and we have to climb.” Rose didn’t respond and he turned around to look at her. She had stopped several feet away from him with her head cocked to the side.

“Rose, everything all right back there?”

“Doctor, I think I heard something. Are you sure there’s nothing alive here?”

“What, here? Naw. Probably something just fell. We may have shifted things around a bit as we made our way through. Why?”

Rose sighed and then stilled. “I know I heard something, Doctor. And it didn’t sound like something falling,” Rose darted looks around, her voice tinged with worry.

“Rose, this place has been abandoned for a very long time," the Doctor reasoned. "The environmentals weren’t even working properly. Everything is just coming back online. If you heard something, it could just be settling from air circulation or temperature shift. Could just be your imagination. Place like this can play tricks with your mind.” HEethumped his fingers against his temple

Rose didn't agree. She heard a metallic crunching sound and her mind turned toward unpleasant things. “What about those saber-toothed rats? You said they're found on freighters.”

“I’m sure there aren’t any here,” he said, muttering “probably” under his breath. Rose glared at him.

“Right, well then, let’s keep moving and head up the good old lift tube shall we?” he said, a bit too eager to exit this corridor.

The Doctor started the climb upward. Rose was close behind him but stopped as she heard a scurrying noise and a popping sound. She looked back down but couldn’t see anything moving. As soon as the Doctor was far enough up the ladder, she started scrambling up behind him.

“Aren’t you gonna close the door,” she asked, nervously looking down at the open door.

“Doesn’t make sense to. I’d just have to open it when I head back to the engine room from the bridge.

“You mean we’re gonna have to head back through all this again?” Rose asked with a groan in her voice.

“Oh no, I’ll leave you on the bridge while I go back to the engine room and make any necessary adjustments.” Rose looked back down at the open doors and then continued climbing behind him. It took them close to an hour of climbing up through the dark, with the only the Doctor’s torchlight guiding them. Rose’s unease continued as they climbed, their way only lit by the torch carried by the Doctor. Neither of them spoke and their heaving breathing from the exertion of the climb along with the clinking of each step they took echoed eerily in the lift tube.

“Aha!” the Doctor shouted, startling Rose who never lost the nagging feeling something was watching them. He soniced some doors open and a whoosh of air which carried a foul odor caused both of them to start coughing. Eventually the odor dissipated and the Doctor climbed up and peered into the corridor shining his torch around before turning it down to Rose.

“We may have a slight problem,” he said, tugging at his ear and pulling it away grimacing at a black gummy substance that shouldn’t have been there. “And when I say slight, I mean we may have to dig our way through. And when I say dig, I mean..”

“Doctor!” Rose interrupted him. “Are you telling’ me it’s floor to ceiling trash?”

“Uh, yep.”

“Icky slimy trash or just junk?”

“Trash is trash, Rose and besides, it doesn’t make a difference. We still have to work our way through.”

Rose wrinkled her nose and scowled at the Doctor who ignored her and continued on. She sighed and followed him up. She heard the Doctor yell “Duck!” and moved out of the way in time before several items of junk, waste or whatever filth was up there was tossed down the tube.

“Oi! A little warning next time!” she shouted up to him.

“Sorry, just making a space for you to crawl up,” he shouted back.

This worried her. There wasn’t even space to step out? She shuddered as metal, plastic and something like cardboard rained down around her. She continued upward until she reached the doors. He grasped her hand and pulled her up into the small space he had made for her. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he said it was piled high. There was definitely no path through this trash.

“What we gonna do?” she asked him, overwhelmed by the thought of having to dig through a solid mountain of refuse.

Well, it may be piled high but there are void spaces in between the stuff. If we were to compact it, it would give us some room to work.”

“How’s that gonna work? Can you sonic it?”

He looked at her and grinned. “Oh Yes! You see, we can alter the molecular density of some if it which should help to compact it if we apply pressure.”

Rose groaned. “Tell me you’re not asking me to climb up the trash heap and jump up and down.”

“Oh come on! It’s not that bad! Just pretend you’re in a bouncy castle,” he said, trying not to laugh at the image.

“Well if it’s so much fun, why aren’t you the one jumping on the trash and I’ll sonic it?”

“Because I’ll have to make modifications as we go and since I have more experience with altering molecular structures and can anticipate reactions of different substances, I have to be the one sonicing,” he explained.

“Right,” Rose answered with a sigh, not really believing a word he said.

The Doctor proceeded to sonic the pile which caused an immediate shift in the trash. He helped Rose climb up and she started to stomp and jump. Eventually, they made progress and developed a rhythm to the process until soon they were more than halfway through and Rose could start to see the next door leading to the next corridor. They took a break so the Doctor could climb up and take a look at the door. As he was taking measurements, Rose heard the scuffling and popping sound again and the humming sound in the walls seemed to change.

“Doctor, did you hear that?”

“Hmmm” was all he said, focused on the door.

The noise was getting louder and some of the trash was moving. This was trash which had not been soniced or touched.

“Doctor, the trash on the other side of the corridor is moving” Her heart pounded as she imagined something horrible living beneath the refuse.

“Yeah, sure. Probably, just settling.” He barely paid any attention to her.

“I don’t think so,” Rose said, nervously shifting until she was against his side.

“Rose, calm down. It’s just your imagination and shifting rubbish." There was an annoyed tone to his voice. "It’s natural for you to feel a bit out of sorts here. Bedsides, we’re near a quark star which emits an odd sort of radiation affected by what humans call strange matter. It’s mucking about with your subconscious making you nervous,” he explained, dismissing her concerns.

Rose tried not to think about the strange noises or movement as they continued on. The Doctor opened the next set of doors and the next corridor was thankfully a bit easier to traverse. They continued on squeezing their way through, shoving trash aside, compacting where necessary. Again it took them hours until they finally reached the doors to the bridge of the vessel.

"Both of them were breathing hard and covered with not only perspiration but all sorts of sticky substances, powders and bits of garbage that had stuck to them during different points of their trek through the trash filled corridors. They practically fell through the doors to the bridge and collapsed once they stepped onto the thankfully trash free deck. Rose leaned against a wall while the Doctor made his way around the control panels pressing things, sonicing and swearing softly under his breath. She sat watching him and playing with the bracelet he had given her and thought about how this ship sort of reminded her of the ship where they met Madame De Pompadour. She really hoped she didn’t have to deal with anything like that again.

“Oh I am good!” he shouted shaking her out of her thoughts.

“Everything all right?” she asked, as the bridge lights came on along with several panels lighting up. The Doctor ran his hand through his hair pulling out little bits of sticky metal, making a face and flicking them away as he walked over to her and slid down next to her.

“Well, most of it looks functional. I have environmentals on for most of the ship. Navigation looks to be operational so with a few minor adjustments to the engines, looks like we should be good.”

“What about fuel?” Rose asked.

“This type of ship operates with a cold fusion reactor and considering it hasn’t been doing anything other than maintaining an easy orbit in this system with little gravitational pull, fuel is not an issue.”

“Well, that’s good.” Rose thunked her head back against the the metal wall and sneezed wincing at whatever she inhaled that was wreaking havoc with her allergies.

“Rose, why don’t you take a break, while I evaluate the equipment?” he said, gently caressing her face wiping off some black smudges. She smiled up at him and nodded gratefully.

“Yeah. Want something to eat?” she asked shrugging off her backpack and pulling out some sandwiches, a thermos and some handi wipes. The Doctor picked up the handi wipes and looked at her puzzled.

“Oh don’t look at me that way!" Rose retorted. "You tell a girl you’re taking her to a ship filled with trash to do some intergalactic spring cleaning, don’t be surprised to see her bring handi wipes to try and freshen up a bit.” Rose pulled out some wipes to wipe off her hands and face. The Doctor licked one grimacing and started to clean himself up. By the time he was done, he smiled at her and tossed it down beside him.

“What do you think you’re doin? We’re here to clean up and not trash it more!” Rose admonished him, reaching over to pick up the used wipe and tucked it into a bag in her backpack.

“Handi wipes, such a humany concept but very useful and appreciated,” he said and kissed her softly on the lips.

She thrust a sandwich at him and poured them cups of tea from the thermos. They ate in relative silence except for the hum of the ship and the beeping sounds coming from the control panels. After their meal, Rose curled up under the Doctor’s arm and fell asleep. The Doctor closed his eyes and meditated listening to the hum of the ship and for a moment thought he heard an odd noise. He immediately opened his eyes and scanned the bridge but didn’t detect anything. Rose woke up after an hour long nap slowly stretching and rubbing her eyes.

The Doctor promptly gave her a quick tutorial on the control panels sticking post it notes on each as reminder instructions. When he was done he explained that he would contact her through a communication panel in the engine room so they could coordinate efforts to moving to an orbit closer to the star.

“You good with this? Any other questions?” he asked, pacing back and forth and making final adjustments to the equipment.

“No, I think I got it. So, you’re gonna make your way back to the engines the way we came?” Rose asked, playing with the edge of one of the control panels.

“Yep, shouldn’t take as long as it took us to get here since we made a path already.”

“Doctor, please be careful." her voice cracked as a shiver raced up her spine. "I know you think I’m hearing things but, just be careful, okay?” Rose walked over and wrapped her arms around him.

“Rose, it’ll be fine. I promise. There’s nothing on this ship that’s gonna hurt us. Well, except for maybe any gaseous releases from decomposition or any corrosive substances we happen to touch but other than that it’ll be fine,” he assured, hugging her tight before pulling away. She nodded and watched him leave while she leaned against one of the navigation seats. She couldn’t help but have a bad feeling that this would not be as easy as he made it out to be. She turned back to the different consoles to keep track of the environmental readings as she played with her bracelet hoping she wouldn’t have to send any psychic SOS messages to him.

After the Doctor left Rose, he started to think about her observations of strange noises and things moving. Rose always had a knack for noticing things that he didn’t; or simply ignored as being not important to the task at hand. As he made his way down the corridor squeezing his way through the debris, he thought he heard something and stopped.

“Blimey, I’m picking up on Rose’s nerves,” he said to himself. He continued on into the next corridor climbing up on top of some of the compacted rubbish, slipping a bit as it shifted beneath him. He noticed a strange scuffling sound that seemed to be coming from the ventilation shaft.

He swore loudly. “What genius puts trash in the ventilation system! I mean, really, let’s just plug the ventilation system and muck about with air circulation on a ship filled with decomposing matter.” He shook his head and stared at the ceiling. The scuffling noise stopped. He shrugged and continued on. “The sooner I get to the engines, the sooner we can dump this mess in the star,” he muttered to himself. As he reached the door leading to the next corridor, he heard a loud thump as if something large had fallen.

“Oh, now what!” He squatted down on top of the trash and leaned against a wall as he pulled out his sonic and realized the readings had changed. “But that can’t be right!” He slapped the sonic against his hands and tried scanning again with the same result. He grew very still and began scanning the trash piles in front and behind him.

“Bugger! I should have paid closer attention,” he muttered as he wiped at his eyes and looked back down at his sonic. “Rose will never let me hear the end of this.” Then it hit him.

“I left Rose alone up on the bridge after telling her she was hearing things and it was all in her head.” A chill ran down his spine as he realized that there was something alive on this ship and he didn’t know what it was or if it was sentient much less if it was dangerous. He could practically hear Donna lecturing him about woman’s intuition being more accurate than his big spaceman brain.

He thumped his head against the dirty wall and decided to listen to some of those human instincts he kept trying to tamp down. There it was. An uneasy feeling, like being watched. That paranoid feeling humans sometimes experience and which his Time Lord self had mocked. Yet now, he had to acknowledge its use. Perhaps it was that intangible sense, that caution or survival instinct that helped humans succeed in their expansion into the universe. He shook his head. “Oh Rose, I am so sorry,” he whispered just as he realized something was crawling above him in the ventilation shaft.

Before he could do much more than shove his sonic away, several colored wires and thick gray cables shot out of a large hole in the ventilation shaft and wrapped tightly around him and yanked him up into the small confined space in the ceiling slamming him through the jagged metal hole gouging deep cuts into his shoulders and hip and dragging him through the ventilation shaft to an unknown destination as he cried out in pain and left a bloody trail.

Rose had been looking at a fluctuating reading when she was overcome by an intense feeling of fear and pain. She fell to her knees trembling and gasping for breath. When she finally recovered enough to focus on the ceiling she sat up and shouted “Doctor!” Something was wrong, terribly wrong. As quickly as the feeling had come, it stopped like it was cut off and that scared her more than anything.


	28. The Trash People

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose are still on the freighter filled with trash. Something is living amongst the trash and is not too keen on the Doctor's plan of dumping the contents into the sun. He lies bleeding and wounded leaving Rose to solve the mystery of the Trash People and save him. Warning: This chapter contains mild profanity in it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters nor do I own any of the lyrics quoted in this chapter or Barney or any character referenced in the Star Wars universe

Rose shivered not only from the frigid temperature of the ship but from the abrupt cessation of emotions that the Doctor had unknowingly conveyed to her. She took a couple of deep breaths and snapped herself out of the fear threatening to overwhelm her. Slowly, she rose and walked over to one of the monitors to check the readings to determine what had happened. The Doctor had, unfortunately, only given her a brief lesson. She could definitely tell there was a spike in energy readings about the time she was overcome with the painful feelings, but that was all she could tell.

She grasped her bracelet and tried to establish a psychic connection to the Doctor like he had taught her. There was nothing. He was either unconscious or… she couldn’t think about any other alternative.

“Right, I’m just gonna have to follow him and find out what trouble he found or maybe what found him,” she muttered to herself. She picked up her backpack and strapped it on and walked off of the bridge into the trash clogged corridor. She hesitated a few feet into the narrow path winding amongst the refuse. She heard the hum of the ship change and a scratching noise.

“Hello? Is there someone there?” she called out.

The scratching noise stopped. She knew it. There’s something alive out there. “I’m so gonna smack him. Does he listen to me? No, he has to be the big brilliant Time Lord. Don‘t worry Rose. It‘s all your imagination,” Rose mimicked, shaking her head. The question now is whether or not it was sentient and if it was, would it listen to reason?

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but my name’s Rose." She had to try something and introductions seemed a good start. "If you’re there, I just want to talk. I don‘t mean any harm. I know when we came through earlier we were making lots of noise and disturbing your home. I‘m sorry,” she shouted down the hall of rubbish.

She heard a scuffling noise in the ceiling and a metallic clank. She saw a few items tumble down a pile of trash at the end of the passageway and then silence. She continued walking slowly down the path to the doorway to the next corridor climbing up and over refuse where necessary. She paused at a spot where a piece of metal grating seemed torn out of the ceiling. She climbed up to look at it and noticed spatters of blood on the jagged edges. 

Heart pounding, her hands shook at the implication. She darted a few looks around around in fear and paranoia but didn't notice anything else out of place. Then again it was all trash. How would she know if something didn't belong? Her chest tightened in fear. Something horrible had happened to the Doctor. It was up to her now. She tamped back her emotions and pulled out her torch. Shining it up into the gaping hole, she didn’t see anything other than smears of blood leading away.

Tears pricked at her eyes and her stomach churned at the sight of the sticky red streaks. Wiping tears with the back of her hands she resolved to pull herself together. “Right, he‘s in trouble," she said with a nod. "And here’s me with no weapons other than a torch. Fat lot a good that‘ll do,” she mused, staring at her metal torch. But then she thought of times she'd made do with less.

A metallic clanking noise sounded. Tense and on edge, she looked down the passageway but couldn't see anything moving. She couldn't just sit there. There was only one thing to do. She was going after him and whatever took him. Her gaze focused on the hole above her. "I'm so gonna smack you," she said in a shaky voice as she climbed up into the ceiling.

Dark and narrow, she had to shimmy through dark air vent following the blood trail. Sweat beaded from exertion and the uncomfortable heat of the confined space. After a while, she froze in horror as she realized the Doctor’s drying blood was smeared down her front. Horrified,tears slid down her face in panic at the amount of blood. It became all to real. Something had wounded and dragged him off. Only by her own force of will did she pull herself together and continue on. 

Eventually, the shaft ended and angled down. She looked down and saw more blood stains and realized she was going to have to climb or fall down the dark shaft. She shined the torch forward but couldn‘t see much. She struggled with the pack buckled onto her back and after a few curses and contortions, slide it down teh shaft. It fell to the ground with a plop. It didn’t seem to fall far. She shimmied forward, gravity helping her slide down. The jagged edge bit into her palm as she slowed her descent and wiggled forward. She landed on her pack in a cramped area with more conduits leading in two different directions. 

Again, she followed the blood trail cursing as she re-strapped her pack and crawled through more conduits. After she had been crawling for what seemed like an eternity, she came to a hole ripped into the bottom of the shaft similar to the hole she entered. She shined the torch down and found a drying blood stain smeared on floor below. 

Tired, hot and sore, she knew this was the end of the line. And that though left fear crawling up her spine like a malevolent force intent on conquering her like a Dalek fleet hovering over Earth. “No” she thought. 

“I believe in him as he’s always believed in me. I didn’t give up before when hell itself separated us. So, I’ll be damned if I’m gonna give up now on some garbage scow!” She dropped down landing on the slightly sticky blood stain. Tearfully, she mumbled, “I’m coming to get you, Doctor.”

As she started walking, happy to be upright, she again was face with more garbage strewn corridors. Determined, she forged ahead squeezing through tall mounts of loose debris. Until she heard something scrambling over her head and something moving through the trash heaps. Adrenalin mixed with determination. She wouldn't stop until she found him no matter what was in these trash heaps. She quickly make her way through the garbage packed corridor not caring what she stepped on or rubbed against and shoving things our of her way haphazardly. 

Strange noises above and all around her grew louder. On and on she went through the unending mounds of trash trying to keep an eye on the drops of blood which were becoming less and less frequent until finally, she reached a dead end. She could no longer see any blood and she stood before a mountain of refuse completely blocking the exit to the next passageway. Breathing heavily and sweat running down her face, she realized her options were limited with only a torch to defend herself.

Whatever was making the noises was still nearby. Her best option to find the Doctor, would be to try and communicate with whatever was living amongst the refuse. She rubbed her face in frustration leaving behind a smear of the Doctor’s drying blood on her cheek. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in resignation.

“Hello out there!" She tried to keep a light tone in her exhausted voice. "I don’t mean to frighten you by running through your home. I really just want to talk a bit. I’m looking for my friend. He might have annoyed you a bit. He does that to lots of people." She paused waiting for a response but nothing moved.

"If he’s done something to irritate you, maybe I can help?” Suddenly, a round silver and gold metal ball about the size of a basketball fell from the top of the mountain of refuse and bounced down the piles of trash and rolled toward her. She took a cautious step back and looked down at the round object which had pieces of scrap metal, bolts and wires stuck to its outside.

“Um, Hello?” she said, trying to not be threatening but feeling a little silly talking to a piece of junk. Nothing happened. Rose closed her eyes and shook her head and giggled nervously from the stress of losing the Doctor and the onset of exhaustion. 

“That’s it. I’ve completely lost it and gone round the bend. This is how it ends. Stuck on a garbage scow talking to trash.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans and played with her backpack straps waiting for something to happen. Then she heard a noise and noticed something moving. The metal ball rolled slightly back and settled into one spot and a little metal flap opened up. A metal telescope shot up until it was eye level with her. She stared into it and it stared back at her.

“Where I come from staring's considered rude. Can you understand me?” she asked it, tensing, ready to run.

It abruptly lowered it’s telescope and she flinched as it snapped back into the ball. As she was about to take another step back, several wires shot out and snaked around her like a fast growing metal vine immobilizing her legs and quickly slithered up her body until her legs and arms were bound. She struggled to free herself and tottered about but kept her balance. She swore loudly. 

“Doesn’t it just figure. He had to go and piss off the rude trash people." She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut trying to stay calm. "Right, now see here you lot. This goes beyond rude! Here I am trying to be friendly and you get all aggressive. I‘ve had a bit of a bad day mucking about in the rubbish and I'm not about to put up with some junk creature binding me up!” she told it angrily. 

The humming in the ship changed again and a scraping, squeaky ,rolling noise ending in a thump sounded in front of her. Rose swore softly again as something tossed trash up in the air while making its way toward her. Her eyes grew wide and she tried to hop and wobble backwards falling against a pile of trash. 

Slowly making it’s way toward her, was a canister like apparatus with wheels and a mechanical arm. It flashed a strobe light at her blinding her temporarily and eventually halted before her. She squinted at it as she hopped and bounced off a trash pile trying to keep her balance.

“Enough of this." She scowled at it. "Now see here R2D2, just take me to your leader,” she demanded. Nothing happened. She sighed. 

“Please,” she finally said. The corridor reverberated with what sounded like a radio with human voices singing, giving news reports and commercials. She looked down at the canister creature. “You’re trying to communicate with me, yeah?”

Something landed on her head and hopped down onto her shoulder and she turned to it. It looked like several metal tubes bound together with a camera lens and a microphone on top. It gripped her shoulder with little metal suction cup type apparatus. Flying around her were yet more mechanical objects. These were black, blue and green plastic roundish wads of wires almost like flying colorful tumble weeds.

She stared at them in amazement. “Where did you all come from?” she asked, forgetting that she was essentially a prisoner of theses creatures. She felt the wires unwrapping around her arms and legs. She shuffled her feet as much as she could, all the while being careful not to dislodge the little creature from her shoulder and risk being labeled a threat. She felt the wires loosen and free her and the mechanical arm on the canister creature reach up and tug at her jacket pulling her forward. The creatures escorted her through the trash back the way she came to an opening in the floor with a ladder descending down to another level on the ship.

She turned to the canister and crossed her arms. “I’m not takin’ another step until one of you tells me who you are and what you’ve done to my friend.”

The flying tumble weeds started thumping into her back trying to force her to move but she stood her ground. “Not goin’ in the hole until ya tell me who you are and where the Doctor is. I told you my name. Fairs fair.” She tilted her chin up with more bravado than she felt.

She heard excerpts of songs being played.

“You got to have faith,”

“Safe to dance… Everything’s under control,”

“Could it be a whole lot opening wide, a sacred why, a mystery gaping inside,”

“Life is a mystery everyone must stand alone. I hear you call my name and it feels like home. When you call my name it’s like a little prayer.”

“And then the witch doctor, he gave me this advice,”

“Doctor, doctor, gimme the news I got a bad case of lovin' you.”

“Okaaay. So, either you’re tryin’ to ask me to trust you and tell me that you’re not gonna hurt me or you really like Men Without Hats, George Michael, Madonna, the Chipmunks and Robert Palmer which would be a little weird."

Rose decided if she was going to find the Doctor quickly, she needed trust them. And they didn't seem all that threatening. Hoping this was all a big misunderstanding, she climbed down the ladder through three pitch black levels before she reached the end and lights flickered on. She looked around and found herself in trash filled cargo bay except there were flickers of mechanical movement all around, on top and intermixed in the heaps of garbage. Off to one side, was a giant, murky pool with little mechanical creatures rolling around it.

“Whoah,” she whispered as she slowly turned around the massive room taking it all in.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The Doctor lost consciousness while being dragged through the air shafts. When he awakened, he was in a semi dark room lying against a wall surrounded by a structure constructed of metal bits and bobs of trash. Piles of refuse surrounded him although they seemed to be organized by type. His legs were still wrapped tightly with wire and wounds on his shoulder and hip throbbed, still oozing blood. He knew he had to stop the blood loss or he would be in trouble. He couldn't move his right arm. His left arm ached to the bone. He winced and grunted in his attempt to reach the sonic. When his fingers grasped it, he promptly passed out. 

When he came to again, he tried to move the sonic. The knife-like pain and a burning sensation was almost unbearable but he was able to set his sonic to cauterize and staunched the wound on his hip. It took several failed attempts before he was able to reach and cauterize the wound on his shoulder. Once he was done he collapsed back against the wall breathing heavily, perspiration trickling down his temple. He heard a noise and looked up only to see the Eternal Havoc still dressed in his navy suit and smirking at him.

He walked over to the Doctor’s confinement, thrust his hands in his pockets and leaned in close. “Well, that does look uncomfortable. Having a bad day are we?”

“What are you doing here!” the Doctor demanded, his words slurring slightly.

“Me, well I just popped in to see how you and the wolf are doing at our galactic housecleaning project,” he said with a cold smile. “Cleaning doesn’t appear to be your forté does it?” he said with disdain. The Doctor glared at him. 

“A bit cranky are we?" Havoc taunted. "Well, perhaps you need a hand,” he mentioned, smiling at the pun as he walked around the trash filled room and poked a piece of trash that rolled down the trash mound to the floor. Havoc grimaced and shook his head and made his way back to the Doctor’s prison. 

“You know, we never said you couldn’t ask for a favor. My previous offer still stands. Regain what you lost in the metacrisis. Become full Time Lord with all the perks. Rose’s lifespan to match yours and because I’m feeling generous, let’s reset your regenerations back to factory original shall we?" Havoc arched a brow.

"All I ask in return is a small favor and your assistance with a little project. This universe could be yours for the taking you know. You and the wolf could be so powerful together. I think you dream about it sometime," he suggested with an insidious drawl. 

"Pretend all you want for her, I know the desire lying deep within you. Your wolf held the power of the vortex. The power of creation and time right there in front of you. The temptation to right the wrongs and make the universe better was almost overwhelming wasn’t it? You could still have that power you know.”

“No," the Doctor's voice was firm. "Rose and I don’t need your kind of assistance. We’re doing fine on our own. Why don‘t you bugger off and go lose yourself in some deep pit of perdition?” the Doctor coldly suggested.

The Doctor’s prison made a clanking noise as Havoc tapped on it. “Yes, I can see that you are indeed doing splendidly without any assistance. Do you even know where your precious Rose is or what’s happening to her? I do." Havoc walked around with a vicious satisfied look to his face. "I see her now. Blood marring her lovely blue jacket, tears running down those porcelain cheeks. Such a pity.”

“You stay away from her!" the Doctor snarled, sitting up straighter and ignoring his pain. "I won’t allow you to taint her life with your lust for power and destruction,” the Doctor winced in pain slumping against the wall.

Havoc laughed. “Oh, you are in a sorry state aren’t you. So inept. Not only are you failing to complete the simple task we assigned to you, you can’t even keep your little flower safe from harm. You are pitiful like this. I’ve offered you the chance to regain the power to protect her and regain your status in the universe and all you do is pathetically try to insult and moralize to me.”

“Are you quite done? Why don't you take your dirty little offer and piss off,” the Doctor bit out, dismissing him.

“Well, if that’s how you feel about it. Perhaps I should leave you to your fate at the hands of the primitive creatures inhabiting this place; who by the way, you threatened to annihilate. I wonder what they’ll do to the person who stated he was going to incinerate their species in the closest star?" Havoc asked with a glint in his dark eyes. "I wonder what they’ll do to the wolf? Maybe they’ll just imprison her. I wonder how receptive she’ll be after a year of imprisonment on this ship? Especially, after you meet whatever gruesome fate they have planned for you,” Havoc stated with relish.

“Are you still here. Don’t you have a war to incite or a dictator to annoy?” the Doctor asked him with little emotion, leaning against the wall.

“That’s it? That’s the best you’ve got? Ah Doctor, you poor, stubborn, sanctimonious sod,” Havoc said to him, shaking his head. “Enjoy your fate and don’t worry. When your wolf falls, I’ll be there to catch her,” Havoc taunted him, and faded into the shadows of the room.

The Doctor sat against the wall banging his head against it trying to come up with a plan. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep. When he awakened, he found his prison gone. He was surrounded by all manner of creatures of various sizes and shapes which appeared to be made up of bits of trash, in particular bits of plastic, metal, wiring and tubing. 

A large metal box sitting on a levitating cargo cart with a viewing screen approached him. It flashed images of burning buildings, soldiers killing people and a burning sun. One of the other creatures that looked like a tangle of wires on top of a microwave oven on top of a two oxygen tanks on a wheeled cart stood over him and a long silver tube with a light at the end protruded from it and nudged him. He winced and groaned. It continued to nudge him.

“Stop it all ready. I get it! You live on this ship and I talked about dumping the contents of this vessel in a star,” he shouted, grimacing and gripping his hurt arm with his uninjured hand. The creature stopped poking him but didn’t back down. He focused on his breathing and overcame the pain. He looked up at the creature that poked him and then over to the creature with the vid screen.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here. You must believe me. I would never have emptied the ship into the star if I even suspected there was a living creature on board.”

The screen showed a picture of human children in a playground and homes being built. Pictures of cities flashed before his eyes along with planets and ships colonizing planets and then it went black.

“I understand. This is your home and you’re protecting it. I would do the same.” The Creature with the video screen showed him pictures of rockets being launched into space and space ships flying through space. Then he heard a song being played.

“5 4 3 2 1 ... Blast Off  
Flying high in the sky  
We look back and wave goodbye  
As our spaceship is flying away”

“Barney, the purple dinosaur? Blimey, I hope you’re not judging us based on a rubbish children’s show.”

The creature that had probed him earlier thunked him on the head. “Ow! No need for violence, I think I get it. You want this ship to take you somewhere.” The video screen showed him scenes of people building homes and moving in.

“Oh, I see, you want to build a new home for your children,” he said softly. “Of course you do. But, how did you get here?” he asked, looking intently at them.

The creature that had poked him earlier, who he was called Thumper, pointed to the trash heap and then pointed up.

“Sorry, I don’t understand. I mean, I understand that you’re components from pieces of human refuse but I don’t understand how you got here? Did someone put your people on this ship?”

Thumper thudded him on the head again. “Hey, easy now. I said I was sorry!”

The vid screen creature showed him pictures from Earth television depicting the evolution of life on Earth. “Ohhh. You’re saying you evolved here. But, that’s impossible. This ship has only been here for what maybe two centuries. Life doesn’t evolve that quickly.” They then showed him pictures of sunrises and sunsets.

He thudded his head back against the wall. “Of course! Oh, I am so thick. This is where Rose would be pointing out how thick I am. The quark star, strange matter and radiation. Somehow, it’s effected the decaying material on this ship forming some primordial glop which developed and rapidly evolved into sentient life and here you are." A warm feeling of awe filled him. "Oh, speaking of Rose, I don’t suppose you’ve seen a blonde human female mucking about the ship? Knowing her, I’m sure she’s wandered off the bridge by now.”

Thumper used it’s probe to hook around the wires binding the Doctor and began dragging him off. The Doctor groaned and winced as he was dragged through another trash strewn corridor to a larger area. As he was dragged into the room, he heard Rose’s voice.

“Now see here, I’m tryin’ to help you. Call off the bouncin’ tumble weeds, yeah.” Rose shook her head as she picked up the little metal creatures out of the pool of water and put them on dry land. She pulled herself out of the water wringing water from her hair. 

“Right, I’m not goin’ in there again no matter how many times you sick your flyin’ tumble weed people on me. You lot can’t swim so enough with playin’ by the water. Can I please see the Doctor now?” she demanded. She could not believe they dragged her down to this cargo bay to fish their little friends out from the bottom of some dingy pool. For creatures that could communicate with Earth music videos, you’d think they would know not to play around near the edge of a pool.

She turned around and saw a procession of the strange mechanical creatures and the very last one dragging a bound, groaning Doctor. “Doctor!” she shouted, and ran over to him only to be blocked by several of the Trash People, as Rose liked to call them.

“Please, you have to let me go to him! He’s hurt and needs help,” Rose pleaded. The creatures stood firm and the creature with the vid screen approached Rose and began playing a music video of the Beatles.

“Help, I need somebody,  
Help, not just anybody,  
Help, you know I need someone, help.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,  
I never needed anybody's help in any way.  
But now these days are gone,  
I'm not so self assured,  
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.”

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” Rose said, staring with disbelief at the Trash People who if they had faces would be looking at her pleadingly. “Fine, I’ll help you but you have to let me tend to the Doctor first,” she demanded. They parted in front of her and she ran to him, kneeling by his side only to find him unconscious.


	29. Odiferous Endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose has found the Doctor who was held captive by the Trash People. He’s suffering from injuries sustained during his capture and is unconscious.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the music quoted in this fic including: Born Free by Don Barry; All You Need Is Love by the Beatles; Suspicious Minds by Elvis and written by Mark James; We’re In This Together by Nine Inch Nails; Shake Senora written by Lord Kitchener; We Built This City written by Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf.

“Doctor, can you hear me?” Rose asked softly, leaning over him her voice tinged with worry. The Doctor’s eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Rose and as he assessed his condition, he realized his legs were no longer bound. “Rose,” he croaked, and winced as he felt the dull throbbing pain from the wounds on his shoulder and hip. He tried to sit up but Rose gently pushed him back down.

“Easy. You’ve lost a lot of blood and you’re dehydrated. Lucky for you that Torchwood trained me with field medicine. I’ve treated your wounds and given you an antibiotic. You need to drink this,” she said, holding a bottle of water to his lips. He tentatively sipped and started to cough.

“Blimey, I feel awful. ” He looked around and then back at Rose. “And you look like the backside of Peralikan Saki Devil. Smell like one too,” he said, wrinkling his nose and wincing.

Rose sat up straight and glared at him. “Oi, you watch it or I’ll let the Trash People have you.”

“Trash people?" He focused on a few spring-like creatures bouncing around. "Really Rose, couldn’t you come up with something better? What are you doing here anyway? Didn’t I leave you on the bridge?” he asked, scratching his head and pulling some piece of debris out of his hear which he examined and tossed aside.

“Yeah, you left me on the bridge promising me this was gonna be easy and we’d be done in no time. The next thing I know, you’re screaming in my head and then nothing." Her tone was purposefully harsh. "I tried sending you a telpathic message but you weren‘t there. I was worried so I came after you. Didn’t take long before I found--" Her voice hitched. "a blood trail leading to angry Trash People and you all bound up and hurt.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. “Do you know how dangerous that was? You could have walked into anything in the rubbish heaps. This place is filled with caustic substances. What if you’d been injured! What if the Trash people had attacked you!” he chastise.

“Right, so I’m just spose to ignore you screaming in my head and hide on the bridge cause I could get hurt?" She crossed her arms eyeing him with less sympathy. "I don’t think so, Doctor. Thought you knew me better than that. Now lie still. You‘re in a real bad way and need rest.”

“Rose, I’m fine. Everything’s under control.”

“Under control," she snorted. "Yeah, that’s why you were lying unconscious when I found you and don’t tell me you’re fine. You’re not fine. Look at you,” she said, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at his torn, blood stained clothing.

“Rose, I’m fine, really, he stressed. "I’m more worried about you. I need to know your safe. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you,” he said in a broken voice.

Rose leaned closer to him and gently ran her hand through his hair. "Doctor, I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you either. Don’t you see? We do better together. So, no more splitting up without a back up plan, okay?” she said softly.

He nodded without saying anything and leaned into her hand as she caressed him. “Just promise me you’re all right,” he asked.

“Doctor, I’ve been crawling through the insides of this ship; running through mountains of trash and swimming in some cess pool. I haven’t eaten or slept in god knows how long and I smell like rubbish. Not exactly my best right now but other than that, I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“Rose, I told you, I’m fine. Molto Bene,” he proclaimed, and sat up groaning.

“I told you not to move,” Rose chastised him. He winced and started moving his arms and legs to assess his condition. It was definitely not good.

“I may need a tinsy bit of help,” he finally admitted. Rose put her arm around him to help him shift and lean against a wall. She looked at the bandages on his shoulder and hip to see if he reopened any wounds. By the time she was done, she was pale and shaken from concern at his condition. He took her hand in his and looked her in the eye. “Rose, we’ve been through worse. It’s going to be fine.” He gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

Rose sighed. “Yeah, but Doctor, the Trash people are still a bit mistrustful. I’ve promised them we won’t harm them but they understood what we were doing here earlier. Can’t say I blame ‘em. If someone came to Earth ignoring the people and just went about incinerating everything, I’d be angry and defensive too. Still, they seem to want us to help ‘em with something.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve talked to them about it, but they don’t seem very keen on me. At least they didn’t bind you up and drag you about,” he said, with a slight smile which was more about being relieved they didn’t harm her.

“They know that I understand how to operate this ship. They’ve been observing us since we arrived.” The Doctor quickly explained to Rose that the Trash People, and he winced at that name, wanted to find a planet to settle and how he would need her to help him navigate the ship somewhere appropriate. He was fairly certain there would be a planet in this system which might be suitable for them.

Thumper and several other of the Trash People approached them during the Doctor’s explanation. The little tube creature that had traveled to the cargo bay on Rose’s shoulder lit on her shoulder once again.

“Hello there, Thumper! Rose and I were just working out how we’re going to find you a new home. We’ll need access to the bridge so we can scan this sector for a suitable planet and plot a course. Have you thought about how this is going to work?”

A song played loudly echoing in the large cargo bay.

“Born free, as free as the wind blows  
As free as the grass grows  
Born free to follow your heart

Live free and beauty surrounds you  
The world still astounds you  
Each time you look at a star

Stay free, where no walls divide you  
You're free as the roaring tide  
So there's no need to hide”

“Yeah I get that." The Doctor nodded. "But have you thought about what you’ll need and how you’re going to do this?” he asked, scratching his neck and wincing as he jostled his wounded shoulder.

“Nothing you can make that can't be made.  
No one you can save that can't be saved.  
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time.  
It's easy.

All you need is love.  
All you need is love.”

The Doctor grinned forgetting his injuries. “Can’t argue with that or the Beatles for that matter. Lovely chaps. They saved the world you know,” he said to Rose, winking at her.

“You saved the world with the Beatles? Seriously?” Rose asked, grinning with curiosity.

“Yep! I’ll tell you about it when we get out of here.” The Doctor turned to Thumper and the other Trash People. “Now then! First things first, we need to get me mobile and get to the bridge. I’ll need Rose to help me along with some of you lot. We’re gonna have to work together on this.”

There were many clicks, beeps and whistling noises sounding among them like they were discussing it. Suddenly, Elvis blared out of the speakers.

“We can't go on together  
With suspicious minds  
And we can't build our dreams  
On suspicious minds”

The Doctor smiled. “Elvis!” he called out in delight. “Poor fellow, he never really acclimated to Earth very well.” The Doctor shook his head. “You’re right, we need to trust one another.”

“Doctor, maybe if we tell them why we’re here, they’ll understand better?” Rose suggested. He nodded his head and explained to the Trash People about their task and time limitation and how they were never told the ship was inhabited. Once again, the Trash People seemed to parlay amongst themselves.

“you and me  
we're in this together now  
none of them can stop us now  
we will make it through somehow  
you and me  
if the world should break in two  
until the very end of me  
until the very end of you”

“Thank you,” the Doctor said infusing his voice with gratitude before he then he turned to Rose. “I don’t recognize that one. Do you?” Rose smiled at him. “Ya mean I know something you don’t?” she asked, with delight. “It’s Nine Inch Nails ‘We’re In This Together’. One of the techs on the Dimension Cannon project was a huge Nine Inch Nails fan. Use to blare it in his lab at night while he worked.

“Malcolm must have loved that,” the Doctor said sarcastically.

“Um, actually, the walls were sound proofed not long after he started working. Guess someone wasn’t a fan,” Rose explained, with a grin.

“Right, welll, let’s get started shall we?” the Doctor asked them. He set forth his plan outlining the work that needed to be done to find an appropriate planet and the process for initializing navigation and propulsion systems. The Trash People began quickly zipping in and out of the cargo bay. Soon, Rose’s backpack was brought to her and one of the creatures who manifested as a levitating cargo cart arrived to transport the Doctor.

Rose strapped on her backpack, looked at the levitation cart creature and back at the Doctor who was frowning. “Looks like your transport’s arrived,” she told him, with a smirk.

“It’s not funny Rose. I should be healed already instead of being stuck with this rubbish biology that takes an eternity to heal,” he complained.

“Cranky,” she murmured.

“I heard that! I can still hear well you know,” he stated petulantly, as he tried to ease his way up. Rose saw him struggle and rushed over to help him. He glared at her while reluctantly accepting her help. He leaned on her as he limped over to his transport. He was pale and exhausted from the effort and leaned back against the protective railing at the end of the cart.

“You gonna be okay?” she asked softly.

He closed his eyes and breathed in before looking at her. “Course I am. I keep telling you everything’s fine.”

“Right, well I’ll meet you on the bridge then,” Rose told him, getting ready to head out with her entourage of Trash People.

He sat up and looked at her. “What do you mean ‘see me on the bridge’?”

“Well, some of us have to hike through mounds of junk and don’t have posh transport,” Rose explained, as she slowly backed out of the room.

“No. I want you with me,” he stated firmly, and shifted on the cart.

“Doctor, there’s no room and you’re not in any shape for a hike through trash filled corridors. It’s not like I’m alone. I have escorts this time.”

The Doctor huffed his disapproval “Fine, but be careful what you touch. Remember, there are some acidic and poisonous substances mixed in with the decaying refuse. If you have any problems breathing, you are to immediately put on the mask in your pack. I want you to check in with me frequently,” he lectured her.

“Doctor," she groaned. "We just discussed this. I won’t be alone this time and I’ll be careful. I promise.”

“Rose, you’re far more fragile than this lot. They won’t be effected if you can’t breathe. I just… I need to know you’re safe.”

Rose walked over to the levitating cart and leaned over to kiss him. He wrapped his uninjured arm around her and pulled her half way on the cart into a deep kiss nearly tipping the cart in the process. After a few minutes, one of the tumble weed creatures started bouncing around them trying to get their attention. Rose pulled away and smiled. “I think their telling us snogging time is over. I promise, I’ll be careful and I’ll give you the running report on my trip, okay?”

“I suppose it’ll have to be,” he said resignedly.

Rose walked off with the little Trash creature on her shoulder who she soon nicknamed Tubey. Once she left the Doctor and was faced with the mounds of refuse she would have to squeeze through and crawl over, she lost some of her enthusiasm and bravado. She turned to Tubey. “Well Tubey, looks like another long day. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure it is day. She shook her head and sighed.

"That levitating cart is looking better and better.” The trek through the trash was slow going for Rose. The Trash People would bound on ahead of her and wait for her to catch up. All of them that is, except for Tubey, who stayed perched on her shoulder and who at some point acquired a speaker and would occasionally play music to urge her on like Don’t Stop by Fleetwood Mac and I Will Survive by Diana Ross.

Interspersed by the climbing, groaning and music playing was the Doctor doing the equivalent to ringing her psychic door bell. He, of course, made it to the bridge in record time and wanted to know where she was and what she was doing, along with making a running critique of whatever music was being played for her 

“Ooooo is that Diana Ross? I love Diana Ross. Did you know I was at one of her concerts when I came across some Ateralens. They’re these tall, lithe yellow skinned humanoid creatures with ginger hair and green eyes. They love Diana Ross! They had backstage passes and invited me along. Now that was a party!”

Rose would roll her eyes and just acknowledge whatever story he was telling her while she struggled to squeeze her way thorough each rank smelling pile. At one point, she told her escorts she needed a break and collapsed on a pile of scrap metal. She was really starting to feel the pull of exhaustion and removed a bottle of water, a protein bar and some handi wipes from her backpack to freshen up a bit. She nibbled on a protein bar and looked around at the trash heaps. A long thin tarnished bronze looking rectangular box about twelve inches long caught her attention. She reached in her back pack and pulled out a t-shirt which she used to pick it up. As she examined it, she carefully wiped off some of the muck and dirt obscuring the surface. There appeared to be some markings which reminded her of the Doctor’s Gallifreyan notes.

“Oh ,you’re coming with me,” she told it. She turned to Tubey. “Is it all right if I keep this?” The group of Trash People crawled and flew up to her and after examining it, opened her backpack for her. Rose grinned. “Thanks!” She strapped on her backpack and continued on. Finally, after hours of trekking through the refuse and filth, she arrived on the bridge.

Upon her arrival, she found the Doctor, glasses perched on the end of his nose floating around the bridge bouncing to the beat of a song being played.

“Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line,  
Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time,  
Work, work, work, Senora, work your body line,  
Work, work, work, Senora, work it all the time”

As he bopped around on the levitating cart and directed Trash People who were also moving to the beat of the music, he was fiddling with control panels and making notes. One of her tumble weed escorts bounced down next to the Doctor.

“Well hello there!” he told it cheerfully and then looked up to see Rose. His face lit up with a big smile. “Rose! Finally. Blimey it took you forever.” The music faded away as Rose walked further onto the bridge.

“Yeah well, you didn’t have to climb and squeeze through tons of refuse. I’m knackered. Seems like forever since I slept,” she sasid, as she unbuckled her backpack and collapsed onto a chair. “What you listening to? Seems like quite the party in here.”

He quickly whizzed over to her. “Oh that! Shake Senora by Harry Bellafonte. Fantastic music to work to don’t ya think?” Rose answered him with a big yawn while nodding her head.

“Why don’t you get some rest. Bambi, Thumper and this lot have it covered for now. We should have the results of the preliminary scans regarding the star and the celestial bodies in this system done shortly. It’s been 48 hours 43 minutes and 5.2 seconds since we arrived. You need the rest. I‘ll wake you if something exciting happens.”

“Thumper and Bambi?" Rose repeated with a giggle. "Flower must be somewhere around as well?” Rose asked amused at the Bambi names.

“What! Nothing wrong with Bambi. It’s a brilliant film.”

Rose smiled and shook her head in amusement. “What bout you? You need rest too and besides your injured.”

“Me? Naw, got plenty of rest while they had me locked up. Besides, I put myself into a bit of a healing trance on the way to the bridge so I’ll be up and about in no time.”

Rose nodded her head as her eyes drooped close. She slid off the chair and rested her head against the seat as the Doctor asked the Trash Person, who he now called Flower, to bring his jacket over and draped it on a now sleeping Rose. When she woke up, it was to the Doctor yelling out “Well Done!”

“Doctor?” Rose sleepily mumbled while yawning.

“Rose, you’re awake! Guess what! We found a planet the perfect distance from the star. The orbit will assure that they are exposed to the proper amount of radiation they need to thrive. We were just about to initialize the navigation systems.” he told her beaming.

Rose started to get up and groaned. She was aching in places she didn’t even know she had; she was thirsty, hungry and needed the loo. She noticed the Doctor was no longer on the levitation cart. “Doctor, should you be up walking like that?”

“What? Oh yes, feeling much better I am!”

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled him a bit before wrinkling her nose and pulling away. She pinched her nose and took a step back. “When we get back, first thing we do is throw these clothes in the bin and then we’re taking a long hot bubble bath.”

His eyes darkened as he pulled her back to him and whispered into her ear. “Mmmm hot bubbly Rose with the edible soap,” he purred into her ear. She laughed and nuzzled him back. “You know, a sure sign of love is snuggling with someone even when the smell like rancid refuse,” he told her.

She abruptly pulled back and looked up at him. “Yeah. That’s romantic.” Having lost the mood Rose asked him if there was a loo nearby.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Humans and their rubbish processing of waste material. Faline, could you please escort Rose somewhere where she can eliminate her body’s waste byproduct?”

“Doctor!” Rose shouted in embarrassed outrage.

“What! When you gotta go, you gotta go. They understand waste processing. They just process it differently. Nothing to be embarrassed about,” he told her, smirking a bit.

Upon Rose’s return, she learned that they would arrive at the planet within the hour and the Trash People were making preparations to colonize.

“Doctor, they gonna be all right?” Rose asked, gazing out the viewing port on the bridge looking at the stars. The Doctor walked up next to her. “There’s no guarantees. They know that the star won’t last forever. They’ll be removing everything they need to the planet surface and we’ll be dumping anything left over into the star leaving a nice, clean and tidy ship. We’ll bring it back and put it into a stable orbit for them before we leave. Eventually, they’ll want to leave this world and head out and explore.”

Rose lsmiled at him. “Everyone lives.”

He grinned madly back at her “Yep!”

As the Doctor and Rose worked on transmatting most of the contents of the ship to the planet, Thumper rolled up to them on the bridge.

“So Thumper, you all set? You understand how the transmat works should you need to get back up to the ship?” the Doctor asked.

Thumper flashed a light at the Doctor. “Good!” the Doctor responded. “Rose and I will have the ship back before the next planetary rotation and place all the systems in a hibernation state before we leave.

“You sure there’s nothing else we can do for you? You and your people are ready and have everything you need?” Rose asked.

“We built this city  
we built this city on rock 'n' roll”

The Doctor and Rose grinned. “That’s the spirit!” the Doctor shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

“Goodbye and good luck!” Rose said in a thick voice as she watched Thumper roll off the bridge. Despite her discomfort, the Doctor's injuries and fear, Rose couldn't help but feel a soft spot in her heart for these creatures. They evolved from other people's rubbish. They showed compassion even when their home was threatened and gave she and the Doctor a chance. In the end all they wanted was to live their lives. And she found that quite brilliant.

Once the Trash People had left and all their materials were transported, the Doctor and Rose navigated the ship as close to the star as they could. They sealed the bridge and opened all the corridors and airlocks, effectively cleaning the entire ship. Once it was done, they navigated the ship back into a stable orbit around the Trash People’s new world. They packed up their belongings and left the bridge. The Doctor limped through the ship supported by Rose and scanned the corridors and finally declared it clean. Immediately after his declaration, his sonic beeped sounding the end of their deadline.

“That was a bit close,” Rose said, feeling a little wobbly herself.

“Yep,” he responded as he tucked his sonic away.

“The Eternals did say each task would get more difficult,” Rose murmured, lost in thought.

“Yeah,” he said softly, pulling her tighter into his arms. “Let’s go home shall we?” He pressed a quick kiss to her temple thinking about his uncomfortable conversation with Havoc and deciding not to worry her with it. He activated the vortex manipulator and shouted out, “Allonsy!”


	30. Mutant Birds and Toxic Droppings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts off with the Doctor and Rose lounging in a bubble bath doing naughty things after the traumatic garbage ship adventure. Very slightly smuttish at the beginning.

White, tropical-smelling bubbles overflowed and covered every surface of the massive white, marble bathtub. A yellow ducky wearing pirate hat and eye patch floated happily amongst the bubbles. A relaxed and clean Rose Tyler toed it with her foot from her languid repose against the very manly chest of her part Time Lord and maybe husband, the Doctor. “Mmm, smells good. What flavor is this one?” she moaned.

He brushed his lips against her neck. “Tutti Frutti Tonga and its edible,” he murmured softly, in her ear.

She giggled and shivered in delight as the Doctor nipped her earlobe. Humming as she arched back, she trailed her curling toes along the inside of his leg. One of his hands glided up her thight as he nibbled his way down her neck. She wantonly threw her head to the side to give him better access while his talented fingers nestled between her legs, gently stroking in an exquisite rhythm.

“Yessss,” she hissed.

He worked his way back up to her ear. “Does this make up for mucking about in the trash ship?” 

“Nope,” she answered, smiling.

“No? Hmmm." He nipped at that special spot just below her ear. "How many times before we’re even?” he asked, gently sucking and licking at her neck.

“Not sure. I‘ll let you know when we get close,” she groaned.

“Rose Tyler, you wanton sex goddess.”

“You been reading Bridget Jones’ Diary? Give you any ideas about human women did it?”

“Time Lords don’t need to read silly Earth fiction to learn about how to seduce their scrumptious former companions who are now their naughty, tempting little…. ”

“Rose! Doctor! You up there?” Jackie's voice echoed up the stairs.

The Doctor stilled and sank down until he was submerged in bubbles up to his chin. He scowled as Jackie walked into the bathroom.

“Oh, blimey, you two!" she exclaimed as she entered the bath and abruptly turned away. "Don’t you know enough to close the door when you're doing that!” 

“Not in my own house," the Doctor snapped. "Speaking of which, what exactly are you doing here, in my bathroom no wait, that would be barging into my bathroom?” the Doctor asked her, while covering himself in the scented bubbles.

“I didn’t barge," she retorted. "I called first. It’s not my fault if you two don’t answer the door. I left you a voicemail last night telling you I was stopping by so we could talk about some wedding plans.”

Rose, who had also sunk down into the bubbles until they hid all but her mouth, sat up. “Sorry, Mum, I haven’t had a chance to check my messages. Why don’t you wait for us in solarium. We’ll be down in a bit.”

“Well, don’t take too long, we still have to Meet Fraunk later this afternoon.”

When Jackie left, the Doctor couldn’t contain himself any longer. “Fraunk, again! Rose, do we have to? I mean isn’t Fraunk suppose to just make this thing happen.” he asked her, pushing the pirate ducky back and forth a bit too vigorously.

“Well Doctor, there’s lots of stuff to be decided. You don’t want Mum to just decide for us do you?”

He sighed. “I suppose not. It’s just… we just got back three days ago. The baby TARDIS has just become dimensionally transcendental and I was gonna start installing some of her systems,” he whined a bit.

Rose turned to him, kneeling in the tub and pulled him into her arms. “I know, and I’m sorry. Just think, when we’re done with this wedding business, we get a honeymoon and everyone will leave us be. I promise.” She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “We go into London, meet with Fraunk, settle whatever and come home.”

“All right, sounds easy enough,” he said with a pout and fluffed his wet hair with his hands. Rose smiled and kissed him on the forehead. She rose up out of the water, bubbles clinging to her and walked over to grab a towel. As she toweled off she asked the Doctor about their next task. The Doctor leaned on the edge of the bath tub eyes focused on her bum and played with the pirate duck on the edge of the tub.

“Oh, it’s the Stymphalian Birds.”

Rose hesitated, towel in her hair and turned to him. “Exactly what kind of birds. I’m not overly fond of pigeons.”

“What’d a pigeon ever do to you?” he asked in mock offense.

“Doctor, the Stympahoosit birds,” Rose reminded him.

“Stymphalian, Rose. They were man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims. Oh and their dung was highly toxic.” There was a manic gleam in his eyes. Rose wrinkled her nose. 

“Please tell me we’re not picking up bird droppings,” she pleaded, looking at him as she started to brush her hair.

He grinned. “Naw. You see in the Hercules legend, these man-eating birds had migrated to Lake Stymphalia in Arcadia to escape a pack of wolves these Arab blokes set loose to kill them. Unfortunately, without any natural predators, they bred quickly and took over the countryside. They destroyed local crops and townspeople. Now Eurystheus thought this would be a rough task so he sent Heracles to defeat the Stymphalian Birds. It wasn’t easy for Herc since he had to cross a swamp that was filled with quicksand so if he took one step, slurp, he’d have been sucked under." The Doctor emphasized this with sound efffects and shoving the poor ducky under the water.

"Lucky for Herc that the goddess Athena liked him. She gave him this divine rattle which when shaken frightened the birds into the air. Herc pulled out his bow and arrow and shot many of them. The rest flew far away.”

Rose blew dry her hair, pondering this and not liking the idea of the whole bow and arrow thing. As the Doctor toweled off and gelled his hair, she asked him to explain exactly what the Hercules task meant for them.

“Well, this one’s a bit different. It sort of has to come to us.”

“What do you mean come to us? I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

“Apparently in this universe, once a millennia a comet comes within close proximity of the Earth and some of its particles mix with the Earth’s atmosphere causing an amazing celestial display filling the sky with lights similar to the aurora borealis. Unfortunately, it does more than that. Most meteors or astrological bodies burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere before they impact the ground or have any effect on the inhabitants. This comet has debris that withstands the heat as it falls through the atmosphere. You might say, the friction of the air burns off the outer shell releasing a sort of spore. The spore is quite virulent when it reacts with a host. It causes changes at a genetic level turning the species it invades into something else.”

Rose stopped and stared at him. “Mutant birds?”

“Wellll, sort of. I checked last night and for some reason instead of arriving in nine days, the comet arrived early. It passed through while we were gone. I’ve reviewed some of the observatory records and the areas that could be effected by the spores is the south east coast and more specifically, some small barrier type islands off of St. Mary Hoo. Now, the spore won’t survive in water, but based on the Eternal’s scroll, it more than likely effected some sea birds. Those barrier islands are nesting grounds for a several varieties.”

“Mutant pelicans and seagulls?” Rose asked as she flat ironed her hair. She finished and put the flat iron down and stared at him. “Seriously?”

“Yep," he said popping his p as he searched for his pants. "So far we haven’t heard of anything, but it’s only a matter of time. The last instance this comet entered the atmosphere there were tons of wild stories of people going mad and telling stories about monsters attacking. No one believes them since they didn’t find any evidence but there’s a reason for that. The mutated creatures would have decomposed quickly once they died leaving no trace. It’s part of the spore’s effect.”

“Doctor, are you saying we’re about to be attacked by a bunch of mutant man eating birds which we have to what, destroy?”

“Well, we very well can’t let them roam around London like it’s a smorgasbord. If they really are like the Stymphalians, they’re gonna be tough to kill.”

“How much time do we have?”

“Those islands are such a close proximity to the Thames, it would be natural for them to work their way up to London. Could be a day or could be a week. Could be five birds or five hundred. No way to tell.” The Doctor zipped up his trousers.

Rose sighed and walked over to the wardrobe. As they were dressing they continued talking about what to do. “Doctor, you know we’re gonna need Torchwood for this.”

He sighed. “Yes, I know. Can’t say I’m entirely happy about it but, we’ll need the manpower if we end up with five thousand hungry mutant birds on the loose in London.”

“Five thousand? What happened to five hundred?” Rose asked, getting worried.

“Rose, I told you, there’s no way to tell how many will be affected.”

Rose muttered, “Of course.” She put on her jacket and continued. “Well, after we finish up with Fraunk, we’ll stay over and have dinner with Mum and Pete. We can talk to Pete about it then.”

“What happen to popping in London, chit chatting with Fraunk and popping back home?” He had a whinging tone in his voice.

“We have to tell Pete, and we might as well do it over dinner. It’ll make Mum happy," Rose reasoned.

“We can’t just ring him?” the Doctor asked while admiring himself in the mirror. Rose just stared at him, laced up her trainers and sighed. 

“Ohhh, all right,” he agreed, pouting.

“Come on, I’ll pack us a bag and we can head down to talk to Mum. There anything else about this whole bird thing you need to tell me?” Rose asked.

“Just that we have to stop all of them, avoid the toxic bird droppings and you know, save the world. Easy peasy,” he told her, snapping his fingers.

“Oh, don’t say that. That’s like asking for trouble,” she groaned.

When they arrived downstairs, Jackie had several books spread out on every surface available and was chatting with Perry about the flowers.

“Stephanotis are an excellent choice, Mrs. Tyler. They symbolize marital bliss, as well as a desire to travel. Combined with blue iris and the other foliage you have selected, the ceremony will be filled with beauty, joy and be quite a momentous occasion.”

“Thank you, Perry! It’s so nice to find someone who appreciates all the effort going into making the weddin’ special,” Jackie said, patting him on the knee. She turned when the Doctor and Rose arrived. “Oh, there you are! Took you long enough. Now, come have a look. We’re looking at flowers, music and a theme before we head into London and talk to Fraunk about jewelry and dresses." Perry took this as his cue to escape and quietly slipped out of the room.

The Doctor made a wrinkled face, indicating his annoyance and boredom, and collapsed into a chair and immediately picked up a box off of a side table and began tossing it around. Rose walked over and sat next to her mother on the sofa. “Mum we appreciate you. I’m sorry if we don’t say it enough” Rose assured, and leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

Jackie smiled. “Thank you sweetheart. So what do you think?”

Rose paged through the books filled with different types of flower arrangements, color swatches and dresses oooing and ahhhing at the appropriate moments. At one point, the Doctor couldn’t handle sitting there any longer and started wandering around the room fussing with any bit or bob he found until he wandered over behind the sofa, put his glasses on and leaned over their shoulders.

“That looks like a fussarn willow white. Pretty to look at but a bit toxic. And that one.” He pointed to another picture. “That one looks like the evil empress of Poosh. No, no, no, I can’t marry Rose looking like some diabolical, evil empress.”

Jackie snapped the book closed and turned around and glared at him. The Doctor took a step back away from the sofa. “You don’t get to pick the dress. You’re not even suppose to see it.”

Rose intervened. “You know, I think we need to get going to meet Fraunk.” Rose stood up and helped Jackie gather the books for her to stow in her tote. “Doctor, I’ll ride with Mum and we’ll meet you at Fraunk’s studio."

“Studio? Fraunk has a studio?"

“I told you Fraunk is the best. He’s a professional,” Jackie asserted. The Doctor rolled his eyes as Rose came over and took his arm, dragging him from the house.

The Doctor arrived at the studio over an hour after Jackie and Rose, having been caught up in a park where he saw a stone angel and which he had to investigate, just to be sure it was in fact just stone. “Why is it the bloomin’ Time Lord is always late?” Jackie asked as she saw him saunter up to the door.

“Mum, please. He’s trying. This isn’t easy for him.”

The Doctor walked in looking around Fraunk‘s studio like he expected hordes of evil wedding decorations to come to life and attack.

“Ahhh, the grome is here!” Fraunk exclaimed, clapping his hands. “We have many many, datils to discoss. Oh, such a day we half plaunned. So, we are raudy?”

“Fraunk, could we have a moment?” Rose asked. Fraunk nodded and flounced out of the room. Rose walked over and pulled the Doctor into a corner for privacy.

“Ready for what, Rose?” the Doctor grumped.

“Fraunk’s taking me to look at wedding stuff, and Mum’s taking you shopping.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened. “Shopping for what!” he exclaimed, his voice tinged with annoyance.

“Um, wedding rings and a new tux.” The Doctor growled and rolled his head in clear aggravation.

“First off, I don’t need anyone to tell me what ring to buy you. I mean are we really doing the ring thing? Sounds a bit domestic,” he told her, getting a fearful look in his eyes.

Rose smiled and stepped closer to him. “You know I don’t need ring. I promised Mum we’d go along with some of the traditional stuff if we could do most of the wedding our way. I’m sure you can handle a couple hours of shopping.” He had an unhappy look on his face and turned toward a silk flower center piece and started picking at it.

“Fine. Why can’t I wear a normal suit. You know tuxedos are bad luck for me,” he said, practically shredding the flowers.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. “Well, you know, if something were to, I don’t know, happen to the tux on the day of the Wedding and you had to wear some other suit, wouldn’t be our fault now would it?” she told him, playing with his tie and smiling up at him innocently.

“Rose Tyler, who knew you had such a devious streak in you,” he purred with a pleased smile.

“Just go and pick something out and we’ll work it out later, yeah?” He nodded and snogged her until Jackie started clearing her throat and muttering about putting up with daft aliens.

Rose and Fraunk left to go to the florist to discuss flower arrangements while Jackie took the Doctor to a posh jeweler. On the way to the jewelers he had to listen to Jackie witter on nonstop about wedding plans. Just when he was about to sonic the door open and leap from the moving car, they arrived at the jewelers. On their way in the door, Jackie stopped and looked across the street.

“What’s wrong, Jackie? I thought you were worried about being late for our appointment with this jeweler bloke?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought I saw something.”

“What do you mean? What did you see?”

“Oh, no you don’t! It was nothing and we’re going up to the jeweler now so shift.”

They spent hours with the jeweler debating the merits of gold versus platinum and listening to the Doctor give them a dissertation on the formation of diamonds and diamond quality. Jackie wanted Rose to have the biggest diamond. The Doctor tried to stifle his laughter, thinking about the Koh-i-Noor diamond that Rose had once held. No diamond in this shop could top that. Even though he wasn’t enamored of the whole exchanging of rings thing, if he was giving Rose a ring, it was going to be special.

“Oooo look at this one, it’s a pink diamond surrounded with smaller diamonds! Oh I love this one with the yellow and white diamond baguettes.” The Doctor started tugging at his hair the more Jackie went on and on about the jewelry.

“Doctor, what about this one? The baguettes set off the solitaire and it just shines. Oh that one is just, it takes my breath away.” At this point, the Doctor wondered who she was shopping for Rose or herself. He seemed to recall Rose mentioning something about an anniversary.

“No, Rose deserves something as unique and beautiful as she is,” he insisted after dismissing most of the jeweler's collection. Jackie was growing more and more irritated as the appointment progressed with his criticism of each and every piece. Finally, the Doctor shoved all the ring cases aside.

“Give me some paper and I’ll sketch what I want.”

When he was done, Jackie looked at it. “But, it’s so simple and what are all those squiggly things. What about a wedding band?”

“This is the ring I’m giving Rose. Just this. She’ll understand what it means. I’ll bring you the stone later. Make it platinum. Do you think you can copy these markings precisely?” the Doctor asked the jeweler. The jeweler acknowledged he could, although he seemed puzzled by the request. “Good, then we’re done,” he told them, standing up.

Jackie pulled a credit card from her purse and handed it to the jeweler, who disappeared and reappeared with a paper for the Doctor to sign. He examined the paper like it was a new life form and looked at it Jackie in confusion. “You’re the groom, and you pay for the ring. Rose gave me your credit card. Just sign it. We still have to get you measured for your tux.” He scrawled John Smith and handed it back to the jeweler and practically bounced out the door. As they exited the building, a shadow blocked the sun.

Jackie looked up. “Look at all them birds!”

The Doctor looked up and felt his stomach sink. He pulled out his sonic and scanned the flock, but they were all normal birds. He sighed in relief and got into the car. As they drove off, a man walking a dog passed by where they had parked. His dog stopped to sniff something. Suddenly the dog yelped and collapsed. The man knelt down by his collapsed pup and started coughing and tears fell down his face. A passerby stopped to help him pick up the dog and walk further down the street, leaving behind a seemingly innocuous greenish black goo sitting on the sidewalk right where the dog collapsed.

When they arrived at the tailor, the Doctor noticed a few dead birds lying on the sidewalk. He put on his glasses and knelt down to examine them.

“Doctor, what are you doing! Stop that and don’t touch it!" Jackie yanked at his shoulder. "You don’t know where it’s been!” she chastised him. He ran the sonic over the pigeon carcasses but couldn’t find anything odd. He stood up and looked around before Jackie pulled him into the tailors exclaiming how not everything was an alien conspiracy.

Inside the shop, the tailor had the Doctor try on various samples of tuxedos, white, black, with tails, without tails and with different colored accent pieces. At one point when he stood in front of the mirrors, preening a bit and surprised at how much he was enjoying this, he looked over to see Jackie crying. He immediately walked over to her.

“Jackie, what’s wrong?” he asked as he knelt in front of her despite the tailor’s squeak of horror that he was ruining his sample pieces.

“It’s you, sweetheart. You just look so gorgeous and it’s so real now. After everything we’ve been through, you and Rose are finally getting your happy ending and I get to see it. I’m just so happy for you.”

The Doctor was stunned and didn’t quite know how to react. “Jackie Tyler, I already have my happy ending. It started in a cold basement in London when this amazing shop girl entered my life and blossomed into forever on a cold beach in Norway.” The tailor came over to them and insisted that they needed to finish. Once Jackie promised she was fine, the Doctor went back to the dressing room to change back to his suit.

After his measurements were taken, they sat down to discuss the tuxedo. Jackie wanted him in white with blue trim and tails. He absolutely forbade it and grimaced. Finally, he put his foot down and insisted on a standard black tux with no tails. Jackie was disappointed but accepted his decision.

On the way back to Fraunk’s, they became entangled in a massive traffic jam. While Jackie cursed using words the Doctor hadn’t heard in a while, he was observing the street and buildings around them looking for anything unusual. Suddenly, the car was silent. He turned around and saw Jackie staring at something through the windshield. He looked in the direction of her stare.

“Jackie, what are you looking at.”

“Nothing, it's nothing.”

“Really, cause you seem to be looking at something and I don’t mean the cars in front of you.”

She looked over at him, annoyed. “It’s nothing. I just thought I saw something big creeping around a couple of buildings. Look, traffic is moving again.”

Jackie didn’t say anything else as she zipped in and out of traffic while the Doctor clung to the door, fearing for his life. When they pulled up to Fraunk’s, the Doctor wasted no time leaving the car. Rose walked out to meet them.

“We’ll take my car and meet you back at the house, Jackie,” the Doctor told her, grabbing Rose’s hand and quickly leaving. He spent the drive to the Tyler mansion regaling Rose with frightening tales of Jackie’s kamikaze driving.

After dinner, while Jackie was busy with Tony, Rose and the Doctor talked to Pete in his study.

“Carnivorous mutant birds." He sighed and sipped his after dinner drink. "And when is this happening?”

“We’re not sure. You don’t sound surprised about the comet bit?” Rose said.

“Well, the doomsday nutters have been all over the news lately calling for the end of days," Pete revealed with a sigh. "Seems like if the end of days are coming, Torchwood should know about it, don’t you think? I had archives research the comet. They never said anything about mutant birds.”

“Well, last time it may not have been birds. Could be anything really. It just happened to fall on the coast in an area that is a nesting ground. Just be thankful the spores didn’t fall over a metropolitan area or we could be talking about something worse,” the Doctor explained, enjoying his brandy.

“All right, I’ll put an alert out for any suspicious disappearances. I suppose you two will be staying around to investigate?”

“Yeah we are. I sort of have an appointment with Fraunk and Mum tomorrow to dress shop,” Rose explained. The Doctor turned and looked at her.

“Dress shopping? Fraunk gets to go but I can’t?”

“Doctor, it’s sort of an Earth tradition for the groom not to see the bride’s dress. Besides, I’m sure you’ll find something to do.”

“The Doctor can brief Jake on this bird thing,” Pete suggested.

“I suppose Jake’s all right.”

Before they discussed anything further, there was a scream. Pete, Rose and the Doctor raced to the back of the house where Jackie was clinging to Tony. In front of them, lying still on the ground was Tony’s schnauzer puppy with white foam dripping from it’s mouth. The yard was also littered with dead birds. A greenish black goo was floating in the pool.

“Pete, get everyone inside now!” the Doctor shouted, looking up into the starry night sky. Rose came up and stood next to him. “Rose, get inside!” he insisted.

“Not without you.”

He looked at the goo on the pool and back at the puppy. Rose put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s them, isn’t it?”

“Toxic droppings are only the beginning. I think Jake and I will be doing more than talking about mutant birds,” the Doctor said, pulling her into his arms.


	31. Mutant Birds and Wedding Dress Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: There is some cursing in this chapter so be warned. Mutant birds are in London. Rose and Jackie are scheduled to go dress shopping although Rose is hesitant with the mutant bird threat. This chapter is dedicated to Who in Whoville who suggested Fraunk (who will pop in and out of this fic periodically because I love writing his character). 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I proclaim I own nothing of the Whoverse nor do I own Fraunk who is based on a hysterical character from the film Father of the Bride

“Doctor, are you sure you don’t want me to go with you,” Rose asked, worried about going dress shopping while there was a potential for carnivorous birds attacking London.

“I’m sure. Go with Jackie and do the dress stuff. I promise I’ll call you if Jake and I find anything.”

“Promise me you won’t go off on your own,” Rose demanded, stubbornly.

“I promise. Now go. I’ll check in with you in a few hours and don’t look at me like that,” he told her, squeezing her hand as Rose gave him a disbelieving look.

“Okay, but if I don’t hear from you, expect a call. You have your cell phone, yeah?”

“Yep! All charged and ready to go,” he told her, patting his jacket pocket.

Rose wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. “I just worry about you. Please promise me you’ll be careful. I’d really like a chance at that forever you know,” she whispered into his ear. He pulled back gazing intently into her eyes and slowly and tenderly kissed her with butterfly kisses which progressed into sensuously sucking her bottom lip and then turned into an all out snog with him moaning into her mouth. All of which was, of course, interrupted by Jackie.

“Oi! You two, there’ll be time enough for that on your honeymoon,” she reminded them. Rose stepped back a little out of breath and flushed from a smirking Doctor who whispered, “yep, still got it” as he slowly backed out of the house through the front door saluting Jackie as he went to join Pete for a ride to Torchwood.

Jackie drove them straight to the dress designer’s salon. It was a high end designer by the name of Reva Awng who was the premier wedding gown designer in the fashion world. “I can’t believe we’re gonna meet Reva Awng herself! She shows her dresses in Milan and Paris fashion week and she is going to style you for the wedding,” Jackie exuberantly told Rose.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Mum.”

“Fine? Rose this is Reva Awng! You will be the height of fashion. Everyone will want to know what you’re wearing.”

“Mum, remember, this is just a small wedding and only people we know are supposed to be there,” Rose reminded her dreading her mother's focus on designer gowns.

“It doesn’t matter!" Jackie exclaimed in a huff. "You know the paparazzi will be all over this. Besides, we can have some official pictures auctioned off for charity that can be published in some of the fashion magazines.” Rose groaned but knew if she didn’t give in a little, Jackie might insist on some other point which would rankle her or the Doctor.

When they arrived at the salon, Fraunk greeted them. “My Bride and Mrs. Tyler! You look fabolous! Calm this way.” Fraunk escorted them back to a private dressing room where a petite, Asian woman with long straight shiny, black hair wearing a lavender top and black slacks with black glasses greeted them.

“Reva, this ess my loafly bride and her fabolous mauthar,” Mrs. Tyler.

Reva nodded and shook their hands, smiling and softly, congratulating Rose.

“Reva has chausen saveral gones for the Bride to motall. Bride, if you whale follow Reva,” Fraunk suggested, ushering her back to a dressing area.

While Rose was getting fitted with the first dress, Fraunk snapped his fingers and his assistant arrived with glasses of champagne and fresh strawberries. Jackie sat back on the designer chair, took a sip of champagne and was, without a doubt, in a happy place.

As Reva and her assistants helped Rose into her dress, she realized, the Doctor was paying her a little psychic visit. She murmured, “Doctor” but stopped when the designer and her assistants looked up at her. “Oh, sorry, was just thinking about my fiancé and what he would think of it.” They all smiled and nodded. She focused on the telepathy. She heard him laughing in her mind.

“It’s not funny. They think I’m a loony."

“Naw, not you. Now Jackie… I‘m not so sure.”

“Shush, that’s my Mum,” she thought to him, smiling as they started to zip and clip the dress closed in back.

“So, if I can’t be there watching, at least I can still be with you,” he thought to her.

“That’s so sweet! But, shouldn’t you be working on the whole mutant bird thing?”

“Oh, I am. Jake and Malcolm are pulling up reports and we’re marking everything on a great big map. Gotta love the great big map!”

“All right, you can listen in. Just behave.”

The first gown was a tight fitting, strapless, lace sheath with hand sewn bead work. Rose carefully walked out and stepped onto the pedestal in front of a three-way mirror, trying not to be distracted by the Doctor’s psychic babbling.

Fraunk jumped up and approached Rose, pointing out all the finer points of the gown. “Oh now this gone is spectacolar! See the fawn lice and datils. So delicate and authreal. It shose the brides lovely shalders. Whot doss the bride thank?

“Fawn lice? Do I need to de-louse you before you come to bed tonight?” the Doctor thought to her, snickering. It took all of Rose’s self control to not smirk at his comment.

“It’s lovely but awfully tight fitting. I think I need something I can move in,” Rose commented, while trying to move around in the gown.

Jackie who had tears running down her face. “Oh Rose, you look so beautiful! It’s gorgeous.” Jackie walked around her. “You look a bit thin. What is that man doing to you? You can’t lose any more weight or people will talk,” she told Rose, shaking her head.

Fraunk stepped in to save Rose. “So doss the bride want to mauve to the next gone?”

“Yes, thanks,” Rose responded, walking back to the dressing room listening to the Doctor rant about opinionated mothers.

The next gown was more of an A-Line design with thick satin straps and a deeply draped neckline made of a fine silk with white on white damask pattern and a longer train than the previous dress.

“Yes, yes, this one ess fabolous. The tron ess to die for. Oh and axcesorries will,” Fraunk kissed his fingers. “Whot doss the bride’s loafly mauther thank?”

Jackie was oooing and ahhhing and crying about how her baby was such a beautiful bride. Fraunk handed her a tissue and she downed the rest of her glass of champagne which was dutifully refilled by Fraunk’s assistant.

“I dunno, I don’t think it’s me,” she told them cocking her head to one side and carefully lifting a leg up to see if it was flexible enough to run in.”

“What the hell are axcesorries. I mean is Fraunk the next Lizzy Borden. Is this some bizarre Earth ritual where someone get’s hacked to bits?” the Doctor babbled in her head. Rose chose to ignore him.

Gown number three was much puffier and had a crinoline beneath the skirt. It was strapless with a fur bolero worn over it.

“No, no, no, truly loafly but not for dis bride,” Fraunk commented, while studying Rose in the gown.

“Oh Fraunk are you sure?” Jackie asked hopefully. The fur bolero is just so elegant and it is a winter wedding.

“Sorry, did Jackie just say fur? Promise me you’re not wearing something that looks like it might come to life and eat us. I mean Rose, what if it’s really an alien masquerading as a wedding dress?”

“Sorry Mum, but I agree with Fraunk on this one. I would feel like a walkin’ furry puff pastry in this,” Rose told her, again trying to ignore the Doctor’s comments.

The last gown was beautifully draped silk that was a one shouldered gown which was more an elegant, modern interpretation of a Greek style toga. Rose loved it immediately which piqued the Doctor’s curiosity.

“Fraunk ess so in loaf with dis one! Oh my dare! So elegaunt. So vaury you. The grome will molt when he sees the vision of the bride glideen down the owl.”

“I’m gonna molt? You’re gonna glide down an owl! That’s it! I’m done for. I can’t, I can’t. It’s too much,” he told her, laughing hysterically in her mind. Rose started to giggle too.

Rose, what’s wrong?” Jackie asked her, walking over and taking her hand. Rose laughed uncontrollably with tears almost coming down her face.

“Stop it Doctor,” she tried to think at him, still grinning.

“All right what’s going on?” Jackie demanded, hands on her hips.

“Nothing, Mum. I’m just having a moment,” she said, her giggles starting to fade. Jackie sent Fraunk away to get some answers. “Rose Tyler, don’t you Nothing Mum’ me! Somethings up and why do I think it has to do with the Doctor?” Jackie asked. Rose looked at her now more composed, wondering how she figured it out.

“Well?” Jackie asked her, practically tapping her foot. “He’s around here isn’t he?” Jackie asked, her eyes narrowing. “It’s some alien thing isn’t it? Well you tell him to bugger off. He doesn’t get a say in the dress and he has to wait to see you in it. Well, go on, tell him,” Rose looked down and thought to the Doctor but he was already gone.

“Um, he’s gone now, Mum. How did you know?”

“Rose, I’ve seen green exploding aliens, space ships, sword fighting monsters, homicidal pepper pots oh and my daughter dating a time traveling alien who can change his face so yeah, I think after all this time, I have himself all figured out.” Jackie shook her head. “He thinks he’s all alien and can outsmart me. Shows what he knows.”

“Sorry, Mum. He just wants to be a part of it is all. He didn’t see anything. He was just listening to Fraunk.

Fraunk and Reva returned to the room with several accessories to try with the dress. The first thing they brought out were several veils. “Now for the vall. Whot doss the bride thank?” Fraunk asked, as he held up two different veil lengths to her in front of the mirror.

“I don’t think I care for a veil. Maybe just a hair piece will do?” Rose said, shaking her head.

“Oh Rose, you don’t want a veil?” Jackie asked in a disappointed tone.

“Not really. Besides, I think it would take away from the gown, not to mention when I walk down the aisle, I really want to see everything and everyone” Rose explained.

“No vall,” Fraunk said, tossing the veils over his shoulder to his assistant. “Wall, several axcesorries for the bride’s loafly hair would be fabolous with the brides gone.”

Jackie grabbed a hairpiece made of feathers and held it up to Roses hair. Rose stared at it in horror.

“Oh the mauther has squeezit taste bot, Fraunk thanks feathers not so much for dis one.” Reva also shook her head at the feather option, much to Rose’s relief. Jackie then zoned in on a tiara and put it on Roses head. Rose rolled her eyes up to see it as it fell down a bit until it settled on her head cockeyed. “Umm Mum, I’m not really a tiara person.”

“But Rose, you need some sparkle with such a simple dress.” Reva pulled out some combs that were a simple design consisting of some pearls, rhinestones and blue sapphire-like stones.

“Yes, yes, yes oh my yes.” Fraunk clapped his hands in appreciation at Reva’s choice. Rose smiled brightly at the combs. “Oh, thank you, Reva! They’re gorgeous. What do you think, Mum?”

“Oh, it’s lovely but, Rose, it’s all a bit plain. I think it’s still missing some flash. You‘re sure about the tiara?”

“Yes, Mum. I think the combs do add sparkle and I could add some earrings and maybe a bracelet. What does everyone think?”

“Daufinitely,” Fraunk agreed. Reva, also nodded her head and promised to pull some catalogs with suggestions. Jackie started to smile brightly and walked up to Rose. “You know, you should have something borrowed, Rose. You could wear my diamond and sapphire earrings, if you like,” Jackie suggested, misty eyed.

“Oh Mum, are you sure? I’d love to!” Rose told her, and gave her a hug.

Fraunk and his assistant set down several boxes in front of them. “Now far shoose. I thank purhops a nice sandial. Whot doss the bride thank?” he asked, while holding up a sparkly medium healed sandal.

“Well, Fraunk, I’m afraid not. I already have something in mind.”

“What do you mean?” Jackie asked, with a worried look on her face.

“I’m not wearing heals or sandals. I’m wearing trainers.”

“Whot doss the bride mean? Fraunk ess confaused.”

“I mean, I’m wearing a full length gown and no one is gonna see my feet and I’m wearing trainers. It’s a private thing between me and my husband to be. I’m sure you understand.”

Right, wall the bride naws best. Oh Reva, Fraunk nest to half a moment with you.” Fraunk walked a stunned Reva out of the room followed by all their assistants.

Jackie walked up to Rose frowning. “You can’t wear trainers on your wedding day!”

“It’s my wedding, Mum, and I’m wearing trainers. I told you certain things are off limits and that’s one of them,” Rose said firmly.

Jackie sighed. “All right I suppose the gown will be long enough.”

“Thanks, Mum.” Rose hugged her again. “I’m so glad you’re here and we’re doing this together.” This brought Jackie to tears again and Rose patted her on the back promising it would be all right and went back to be measured for her gown. The rest of the appointment would be spent finding Jackie the perfect dress for her part as mother of the bride.

Meanwhile, after the Doctor finished his telepathic teté a teté with Rose which left him laughing so hard he practically fell out of his chair, Jake asked him what was so funny about mutant birds nesting in London.

“Oh sorry, where were we again?” he asked, putting on his glasses and walking over to the giant electronic map with a dozen red flashing spots littered across it.

“We have a dozen suspicious sightings and incidents,” Jake told him.

“Such as?” the Doctor asked, walking back in forth in front of the map.

“Mutilated corpse of a homeless man found in a alley right here,” Jake pointed to a spot on the map. “Some of that toxic goo found all over the park here,” Jake pointed to another spot.” “Several reports of missing people in this area,” he pointed. “All of the missing people reports state they disappeared at night and were alone.”

Malcolm burst in before he could elaborate further. “Doctor, Jake, I just finished my analysis of the uh goo. It’s a strange chemical compound containing sulfur dioxide, ammonia, elements commonly found in avian refuse and a compound I am unable to identify. The combination in this goo is quite toxic to most indigenous species here. The gaseous emissions from the decomposing goo could cause at the least irritation and possibly even respiratory distress varying according to species, age and general health. Ingestion or contact with it is, I’m afraid, quite more severe. Dr. Arnett completed an autopsy of the puppy and found that it was killed by a combination of the chemicals in the goo which it absorbed through the skin, nose and we believe saliva.”

“Yes, but do you know where it came from,” asked Jake, while the Doctor looked over Malcolm’s chemical analysis report.

“Well, I’m, you see it’s not well clear. It certainly appears avian in nature with some reptilian characteristics. Umm, I’m exactly not sure,” Malcolm stuttered.

“Well, can you tell us how big it is?” Jake continued.

“Ah yes, well based on the amount of goo which are better described as droppings, it would certainly appear to be a larger than any other avian species inhabiting London. Perhaps two meters?”

Jake swore and turned to the Doctor. “Giant man eating lizard birds that drip toxic slime. That’s just bloody great.” Jake said sarcastically,scrubbing at his face.

A beeping noise sounded and Jake ran over to a computer. “We’ve got a sighting and video!” He pulled it up on the screen and Malcolm and the Doctor walked over to watch.  
They pulled up the video from cameras in the area of the attack and watched as one of the giant creatures swooped down and carried off a policeman. Another policeman shot at the creature while people screamed and ran for cover. It didn’t appear that bullets had any effect.

“Jake can you slow that down and zoom in frame by frame?” the Doctor asked, so he could get a better look at it. As they examined each frame, a very horrifying picture was emerging. The creature appeared to be at least two meters tall and looked like a giant mutated seagull. It was a dirty white color with dark gray markings and covered in a mixture of feathers and large scales that merged together in a terrifying beauty. It had black penetrating eyes and its beak was mottled gray and looked quite sharp. It’s legs and feet where black, completely scaled and had sharp talons.

As the Doctor and Malcolm discussed their observations, an agent ran into the room.

“We’ve got one!”

The Doctor looked up and took off his glasses. “You got one what? Mutant bird, really?” he said excitedly. “Well where is it?”

Jake, Malcolm and the Doctor raced down to the underground garage and when they exited the lift they heard a loud screeching and hissing sound coming from the opposite side. The ran quickly over to large lorrie which was shaking back and forth as if something was trying to escape. Six torchwood agents surrounded it with guns drawn. The Doctor wasn’t happy about the weapons but overlooked it in the interest in getting to the bird first. They approached the rear of the lorrie and listened to the trashing and squawking coming from inside.

The Doctor turned to the agents. “You lot might as well as put those guns away as video surveillance indicates that guns are ineffective. The creature’s exterior appears to be impenetrable to bullets. We need to have alternatives.” One of the agents pulled out a stun gun and Jake ran back to a van and pulled out a cross bow. The Doctor looked at the agent with the stun gun. “Good thinking! What’s your name?”

“Vincent, sir.”

“Tell me, why did you pick the stun gun”

“Well, sir, you said it’s impenetrable to bullets. A stun gun operates on shocking the victim with a high voltage charge and might have more of an effect.”

“Brilliant!” the Doctor told him. The truck shook even more if that was possible and the sounds emanating from it were grating everyone’s nerves. “Well, looks like our guest is ready to make it’s big entrance. Shall we?” The Doctor pulled out his sonic and took a couple steps back aiming the sonic at the truck and unlocked the rear shutter. The shutter clicked and slightly rolled up. A taloned claw peaked out and eventually the creature banged on the shutter and it rolled up with a clank. The white and gray creature hopped of the lorrie. It looked at them with glassy, black, beady eyes and snapped its shiny mottled gray beak. It’s talons made a scraping noise as the scratched against the concrete floor. When it flapped its, wings they made a creaking noise. It’s tail thunked against the truck as it moved in agitation snapping at the agents.

The Doctor stared at the creature with fascination. Someone yanked him back as the agents simultaneously shot the creature with their stun guns and fire arms. This only served to incite the creature into a rage. It charged the agents snapping its beak at them. It turned around swatted one agent with it’s along tale sending him flying through the air and crashing down on a car several meters away shattering its windshield and setting of its alarm system. The noise of the alarm sounding in the small confined space of the garage seemed to further antagonize the beast and it became even more aggressive. It darted back and forth chasing after the agents until its beak snapped onto to one agent’s arms. He screamed out in terror and pain as the great mutant bird thrashed him about. It was Jake who put an end to it all with one shot of a metal bolt through the creatures head, stunning it to letting the agent go. He shot two more bolts into it’s head before it collapsed completely.

“Watch out! Don’t let any of it’s blood touch you! Let’s get a medical team down here now!” he yelled, as he knelt by the injured agent looking at his mangled arm. “Jake, we need to get a lab workup on him immediately and start a course of the strongest antibiotics Torchwood has on stock. He’s been exposed to its saliva and we can’t risk further infection or contamination. This is a class 1 biohazard.” The garage was immediately flooded with Torchwood agents in biohazard suits who began sealing the area off and containing the creatures carcass. The Doctor warned them that decomposition would happen quickly and they needed to move it to a sealed room and do a complete decontamination of this area.

Jake walked over to the Doctor. “We’re in big trouble aren’t we?”

“Well, Jakey my boy, we know what we’re dealing with and that’s half the battle. Let’s get some teams assembled and prepped. I think we might be doing a bit of bird hunting. And there’s something I thought I’d never say.” Jake hefted up the crossbow and patted it smiling as they walked back toward the elevator to prepare for war with the mutant birds.

While the Doctor was rallying Torchwood for the attack of the mutant birds, Rose was fighting her own battle back with Fraunk and Jackie, the battle of boredom. Rose sat on a chair swirling her glass of champagne and nibbling on a strawberry while Fraunk and Jackie discussed the finer points of how much bling on the mother of the bride dress was too much. Jackie walked out in a sapphire blue, long sleeved gown with a sweetheart neckline embellished with numerous rhinestones.

“Rose, what do you think?” Jackie asked, as she turned around in front of the mirrors admiring the dress from every angle.

“Well Mum, I don’t think it’s you. I think the sleeves are too long and I don’t care for all the bling on the neckline.”

“But I like the neckline. I think it suits me,” she replied, examining it further.

“Yeah, but it’ll clash with any jewelry you wear with it,” Rose reasoned, sipping champagne.

“Good point,” Jackie acknowledged, and wandered out toward the front of the store to look at more gowns. Rose’s mobile rang with her Doctor ring, I’m Too Sexy. “Hello,” she answered, with a smile.

“Hello. Guess what I did today?” he asked, while pacing outside the autopsy room where the mutant bird was being examined.

“ I Dunno know, blow something up?”

“Very funny. Nope. I helped take down a mutant bird,” he said with an excited squeak to his voice.

“What? Without me? Are you okay?”

“Fine. I had Jake and half dozen agents with me. It was at Torchwood anyway. You almost done there?”

“Yeah, want me to meet you?”

“No rush but, I would feel better if you were here." His voice grew serious. "Rose, this thing’s gonna get messy.”

Before Rose could answer, Jackie screamed. Rose jumped up, mobile in hand and ran out front to see Jackie staring in terror out the front window. A mutant bird was standing on a person and ripping the poor soul to shreds.

“Mum! Get back away from that window. Now!” Rose shouted, grabbing Jackie by the arm and tugging her back. Just then, the bird turned and stared at them through the window.

“Oh shit!” Rose shouted, as she continued pulling Jackie away toward the back of the shop.

“Rose, Rose what’s happening!” the Doctor shouted through the phone.

“Everyone get in back, is there a door we can lock?” Rose asked one of Reva’s assistants, who had seen the creature out the front and was stone still in terror. She nodded her head as several more people peaked out toward the front to see the bird squawking and thrashing it’s wings as it headed toward the shop window.

“Come on! Move!” Rose shouted, herding everyone toward a back store room.

“Rose, answer me!” the Doctor shouted through the phone.

“Mutant bird!” she shouted at him as she continued to push people into the back. She had just finished shoving Fraunk in the storeroom when Crash!. It was in the shop.

“Roooose!” he shouted in terror, but the line was dead.


	32. The Deadly Solution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose, Jackie, Fraunk and their group are locked in a supply closet in Reva Awng’s shop. Torchwood has captured a mutant bird and are autopsying it to see what they can learn.

“Rose!” the Doctor shouted in terror, but the line was dead.

“Doctor! What’s going on?” Pete asked, walking briskly down the hall toward him, having heard his shouting.

“We’ve got to go now!” he told Pete, violently shoving the phone into his pocket.

“Doctor, we need to understand how to kill these things first. We can’t go off half cocked or more people will die,” Pete reminded him.

“People are already dying!” he shouted back at Pete. “One of those things is attacking the shop that Rose and Jackie are at right now. We. Need. To. Go. NOW!” the Doctor repeated with conviction.

Pete swore and then called Jake, asking him to gear up, bring some crossbows and meet them outside to head out. “Let’s move,” Pete commanded as they ran to meet Jake. Once they were in the SUV, Pete drove while Jake prepared their gear in back and the Doctor called Rose. When he couldn’t contact her by phone, he tried telepathically but between his agitation and her fear, couldn't connect with her. He settled on a call to Malcolm to get an update on the autopsy and snapped at Malcolm to get a move on it.

“Doctor, calm down. You need to help Malcolm not take out your frustrations on him," Pete reasoned. "It's not helping anyone, least of all Rose.” Pete punched in Jackie’s mobile number in his car’s hands free set. Everyone in the car waited but Jackie didn’t answer either. Pete sped up when all of sudden he swore and slammed on the breaks screeching to a stop. In front of them, standing on top a wrecked car, was a mutant bird. It stared directly at them. 

“Bugger me,” Jake muttered, as he pulled out the cross bow. The Doctor suddenly sat up straight an idea lighting his eyes and reached into his pocket.

“You got an idea,” Pete asked, as he shifted gears preparing to throw the SUV in reverse. The Doctor held up a small container. “What’s that?” Pete asked.

“Hadry blood. I took a sample of it from the Hadry head shortly after it died before it was taken back to Torchwood.”

“You mean you’ve been carrying that stuff in your pocket for all of this time? That’s disgusting, even for you,” Jake commented, with a repulsed look on his face. “Shouldn’t you have put it in cold storage or something?”

“I’ll have you know that my frankly magnificent dimensionally transcendental pockets are are temporally in flux thus, anything contained within them is in stasis and not subject to deterioration as in the normal Earth time stream.

Jake just stared at him and scratched his head. “In English,” he asked the Doctor.

“Stuff in my pocket doesn’t spoil.”

“So the blood is fresh? How does that help us?”

“It’s poisonous, deadly poisonous. Give me one of the metal bolts.”

Jake removed one of the bolts from the cross bow. The Doctor cautiously dipped the tip in the blood, and using great care not spill any of it gave the bolt back to Jake. “Careful now. This stuff is toxic. Don’t touch it. Even a drop of it on your skin can make you deathly ill or worse.” 

Jake nodded his head and hopped out of the car with the crossbow. The squawking creature scrambled off the car in front of them. it quickly hopped it’s way toward them. Jake took position and shot the bolt into the creatures head. It flapped it’s wings and then dropped. Jake, with another bolt loaded in the crossbow and aimed at the creature, carefully walked up to it and nudged it. It didn’t move. He gave Pete a thumbs up sign and ran back to the SUV. Pete called Malcolm and gave him instructions to pull the Hadry head out of cold storage and begin distributing poisoned bolts and crossbows to agents along with a stern warning to take care. The Doctor took over the call, giving Malcolm and his team further instructions while Pete pulled them around the creature’s carcass and the wrecked cars.

Each time Pete made progress on the road, he’d run into more wrecked cars or people looting and running in terror in the street. Or worse, more mutant birds. They reached one road where people were collapsing on the street and convulsing. Pete stopped the car and started making more calls. Jake pulled out a couple of gas masks for he and the Doctor, and they cautiously went out to the street to see if they could help.

“Doctor, over here!” Jake called to him, while kneeling down next to an unconscious little girl. The Doctor could see gloppy puddles of the deadly bird droppings on the street and dripping off of a tree.

“Jake, we need to get all of them away from it. Let’s get them inside some of these shops.” Jake nodded and picked up the child and carried her over to a shop but the door was locked. He looked inside to see several people cowering at the back of the shop. He banged on the door and yelled at them to let him in. A female sales clerk shook her head “No.” Jake looked down at the child in his arms, swore and smashed the glass on the door, unlocked it and brought her inside.

He gently set the child down and stood up. “What’s wrong with you people! She’s dying out there. She just needs to be inside.”

The sales agent pulled a gun. “You’re not gonna infect us! I know there’s some disease out there. Take her out of here and go, or I’ll shoot. I mean it. I’m not gonna die.”

Jake jumped toward the saleswoman, knocking the gun from her hand. “Stop it! There’s no disease. She was exposed to a toxic substance. They all were. All they need is to get away from it. As long as you stay in here, you’ll be fine. Now, I’m gonna leave this kid in here and bring in more people to get them away from the toxic stuff. A medical team will be here soon to take them and you to a hospital. Anyone have anything to say about that?” he asked, patting his crossbow.

An elderly woman stepped forward. “We didn’t know! It’s not our fault. You can’t blame us for wanting to live.”

“Lady, all I care about it saving lives, even selfish, self-serving prats like you. Now, who’s gonna help me with this little girl?”

“I will,” a petite woman in jeans and a light blue jumper with short brown hair volunteered. “I’ll sit with her.”

“Thank you,” Jake said, and backed out to start dragging more people in making sure that any clothing contaminated with any of the mutant goo was removed before moving them inside. The Doctor was doing the same thing in another shop across the street. Soon, they heard sirens and some Torchwood agents showed up to take over. Jake briefed them on the people in the shop and jumped back in the SUV with the Doctor and Pete, and they slowly made their way through the contaminated area.

They drove slowly around abandoned cars and debris toward Reva Awng’s salon through the deserted, mutant bird filled streets. Pete stayed in constant contact with Torchwood to keep up to date on progress with destroying the creatures and cleaning up the toxic goo. It was slow going and the Doctor continued to try and reach Rose and Jackie on their mobiles. Periodically, they were forced to stop and battle the birds. At one point during their journey, Malcolm called the Doctor.

“Doctor, so sorry to bother you but, well, I’m afraid things may be a bit worse.”

“What do you mean, Malcolm?”

“There is every indication that Larus Occidentalis Mutatus has started nesting.”

“Larus Occidentalis Mutatus? Malcolm, you’ve named them!” the Doctor exclaimed delighted.

“Well, Doctor, it seemed, um appropriate. Doctor, we’ve had reports of the birds carrying not just tree branches, awnings and the like but people too toward some warehouses in the industrial district.”

Pete swore. “We’re not far from there now.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Tyler, but you’re the closest. The helicopter had an unexpected encounter with one of the birds. It would be most helpful if you could take a look for us to confirm it’s the nesting grounds.”

The Doctor sighed and looked Pete. “I’m sorry, Doctor, we have to do this,” Pete told him as he made a sharp turn, driving over sidewalks and curbs to make it the six blocks to the industrial district. The Doctor fidgeted and stared at his phone.

“Pete, the longer we delay…”

“I know!" he snapped. "You think I’m not scared for Jacks!” he shouted at the Doctor.

“Stop it, both of you! If we don’t get a handle on this bird thing, there won’t be anything for Jackie and Rose to come home to!” Jake shouted at them.

They made it to the warehouses and didn’t make it far before they were able to confirm Malcolm’s suspicions. The ground was a gruesome mix of toxic droppings, dead bodies and debris. Pete parked the SUV and called Malcolm. The Doctor leaned forward and looked out the windshield.

“Pete.”

“Hold on Doctor,” Pete said, and continued speaking to Malcolm.

“No Pete, now!” the Doctor demanded, staring up at the top of one of the warehouses as several of the giant birds circled or dropped people and debris. Pete looked up. “Malcolm, patch me through to control. This is urgent.” Pete looked at the Doctor. “We have to do something now. There are people alive up there.”

The Doctor nodded his head. “Yeah, I know.”

“Let me handle this,” Jake told them. “I’ll get up there and get the people out while you go help Rose and Jackie.”

“I can’t let you do that,” Pete said, shaking his head. “There’s going to be an air strike. They’ll be here soon. There won’t be a ground team and I’m not sending you in there alone. Any suggestions, Doctor?”

“Yep. We need a distraction to divert some of them so we can get the people out. How much time we have before the air strike?”

“Fifteen minutes tops.”

“Plenty of time. Right, Jake?”

“I’m with ya, Doctor.”

“So, I’ll draw them off while you two get the people out.”

“What do you mean, you’ll draw them off?” Pete demanded.

“Just what I said. I’ll get their attention.”

“Right and if something happens to you because I let you wander off on your own, I’ll never hear the end of it from Jacks and Rose.” The Doctor rolled his eyes at this.

“We don’t have time for this,” the Doctor told him, putting the gas mask back on and hopping out of the SUV. He ran toward another warehouse pulling out his sonic and aiming it at the building. An alarm began shrieking. The combination of the running Doctor and the alarm caught the birds’ attention.

Pete shook his head, cursing softly, and put on his own mask as he and Jake also climbed out and ran to the warehouse where they saw the birds dropping people. As they climbed to the top of the warehouse, they heard the thumping, scratching and squawking of the birds above. When they reached the roof, there were only two birds still lurking about. 

Jake pulled out his crossbow and shot both of them. One dropped immediately. The other he didn’t hit in the head and it squawked and raced toward him. Jake swore and kept shooting until he hit the bird in the head. He and Pete raced around and assessed who was still alive. A few people were able to walk and they were sent down the access stairs. They started to carry more out when Pete’s mobile rang. “We’re out of time! We need to get out of here!” he shouted to Jake. They took the six survivors back to the SUV and crammed them in. Pete called the Doctor and met him racing back toward the SUV. He crawled in and sat on top of Jake as Pete raced away just as the bombing of the warehouses began. Pete kept racing down the street away from the explosions until he nearly ran into a Torchwood ground crew. They unloaded the survivors and sped off to find Jackie and Rose.

“Rose is all right, Pete. If anything happened to her, I’d know,” the Doctor said for Pete as much as himself.

“They’re Tyler women, Doctor. That means they’re strong and survivors. God help any mutant bird that threatens Rose. Jackie is a right terror when anyone threatens her kids.” Pete confirmed. The Doctor looked up at Pete and grinned. 

“Right you are Pete. Earth’s secret weapon. Tyler women.”

Back at Reva Awng’s salon, Rose, Jackie, Fraunk, Reva and their collective assistants were huddled in the supply room while the mutant bird thrashed about in the salon. Rose picked up her phone which she had dropped, but the back had popped open and the battery was missing.

“The mobile’s dead. Anyone else have their mobile?”

“Mine’s in my pocket book out there,” Jackie told her as she sat down on some boxes. No one else in the group had their mobiles either.

“Okay, so what do we have to defend ourselves?” Rose asked as she started searching the supply room. Fraunk’s assistant whimpered as he fanned himself and Fraunk.

Fraunk stood up and straightened his tied, back in organizer mode. “The Bride ess defaunding us? Wall, Fraunk ess always prepared.”

Rose looked up stunned when Fraunk pulled a petite stun gun from his coat pocket. She smiled brightly. “Fraunk! I knew I liked you. Anyone else have anything in their pockets?” Everyone reached into their pockets and pulled out pens, measuring tape and pins. Reva walked over to a shelf and retrieved a long pole used to hang dresses up on high racks, several pairs of shears, a yardstick and a fire extinguisher. 

“Good job, Reva!" Rose commended. "Can you hand me that canister of air freshener as well” Rose set everything down and then took the pole and as she looked up at the end of the pole, she could see that there was an access panel in the ceiling. “Anything else?” Rose asked.

“Just what do you think you’re gonna do?” asked Jackie, worried that her daughter was going to try and take on the mutant bird all by herself.

“Well, I’m gonna attach some shears to the end of this pole and the end of this yardstick so we have a couple of spears. I’m gonna borrow Fraunk’s stun gun, take another pair of shears along with the air freshener and that lighter and crawl up through the ceiling and try and get round back of it. The air freshener and lighter will make a brilliant blow torch. When I yell for you, one of you is gonna open the door. Use the spear to to keep it back while you get out. I’m gonna, I dunno, kill it, lock it up or whatever,” she told them, shrugging.

“Have you gone and lost your bloody mind!” Jackie shrieked, jumping. Right after Jackie shouted, there was a loud thump at the door. Everyone jumped back.

Fraunk stepped forward and gently but firmly gripped Jackie’s shoulders. “Mrs. Tyler, fabolous Mrs. Tyler. Fraunk knows this bride ess spessial. She ess, as Mr. Tyler hass tolt Fraunk, ah hauroine, a valkryie, the Jane Baund of our fabolous country. She ess Rose Tyler. If anyone could do dis, she caun,” Fraunk finished, with a flourish. Jackie rolled her eyes and walked up to Rose.

“Please be careful, sweetheart.”

“I will, Mum. You be careful too.” Rose hugged Jackie and turned to Fraunk and hugged him as well. “You know something, Fraunk, I think you’re fabolous!” Rose winked at Fraunk and asked Fraunk’s assistant to give her a boost up to the ceiling access panel and she climbed into the crawl space. It was a tight squeeze and quite nerve wracking listening the mutant bird bang around and in particular attack the door to the storage room. As Rose crawled through the dark, dusty, tight space, she kept thinking about the trash ship. 

“Had to be another dark and dingy crawl space didn’t it? Nooo, I can’t just go dress shopping. Has to be a blooming mutant bird attack. Seriously, one day, I’d like to be able to just go out and not worry about some blood thirsty creature trying to eat me, hurt the Doctor or just plain piss of the world,” she muttered, as she continued crawling, working her way around ductwork, pipes and insulation. 

Finally, she reached the end and had no where to go but down. After pausing and listening, she realized the bird was still focused on the door to the store room. Rose felt for the lighter and the canister of room freshener so she was prepared when she dropped down. As slowly as she could, she quietly lifted the cover and slid it away from her and peered down into the room. Below her was a curtained changing room. “Please don’t let it hear me until I light up this thing,” she murmured as she again made sure the canister was within easy reach.

She dropped down with a quiet thud, pulled out the canister and the lighter. When she peaked out from behind the curtain, she saw the bird paused its attack on the door which was starting to splinter. It cocked it’s head toward her and let out a screeching squawk.

“Oi, you! That’s right, you, you ugly sorry excuse for a seagull!” Rose shouted to draw the bird’s attention away from the door. She walked out with canister raised and shouted “Now, you lot! Get out of here, run!” 

The bird charged her and she lit the air freshener so that flames shot out four feet in front of her. She slipped the lighter back in her pocket and reached for the stun gun. The bird was singed by the fire, but kept coming after her snapping at her with its beak and started to flap its wings. Meanwhile Reva and the others ran toward the front door. Jackie and Fraunk stayed behind to help Rose.

Rose fired the stun gun which hit the bird in the neck and started to shock it. This only appeared to aggravate and it thrashed some more. She started to circle around it and back toward the door soon joined by Fraunk and Jackie armed with the home-made spears. Rose tried to get closer to do more damage or back it into the supply room. Just as the bird was about to lunge, Rose reached for the shears and watched in amazement and horror as Jackie charged the bird and stabbed it in the neck all the while screaming “Bloody, sodding ugly bird!”

After being stabbed by the shears on the long pole, the bird thrashed about with Jackie still gripping the long poll and screaming. Fraunk ran up beside her and thrust up under the bird’s head with the spear made from the shears and the yardstick. He let go and grabbed Jackie to drag her out the door. Rose was backing up with them when the bird charged them again. Pete, the Doctor and Jake burst in. Jake dropped down to one knee and fired his crossbow but missed the head.

“Doctor! I need another bolt!” The Doctor dropped down and grabbed a bolt and pulled the bottle of blood out to dip it but the bird charged and Jake jerked back. He spilled some of the blood. He quickly dipped the bolt and handed it to Jake who loaded and shot the crossbow this time striking the bird in the head. The bird dropped as quickly as the last one. Jackie ran and threw her arms around Pete.

“Oh Pete it was horrid. That bloody bird came after us while we were shopping. We had to hide in back and it tried to come through the door. Rose turned all blooming McGyver and crawled through the ceiling and then everything went to ‘ell!” she cried. Finally she pulled back and looked over her shoulder. “Fraunk saved me! He’s a hero he is!” Jackie then ran over to Fraunk who was collapsed against a car being fanned by his assistant and threw her arms around him.

“Oh, Fraunk! You were so amazing in there!”

“Yas, wall, Fraunk ess here to always haulp the bride and her mauther,” he said in a high-pitched voice, looking quite peaked and ready to pass out.

“Oh, you poor thing. Let us help you.” Jackie helped him into a Torchwood SUV that had just arrived. As she helped him, she asked him, “So do you think Rose’s dress will be all right?”

Pete walked over to Rose, shaking his head. “You all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for the rescue.”

Jake walked over. “Oh, I dunno. Looks like you were doinf okay to me. Only you would get the wedding planner who moonlights as some posh Rambo type,” he joked.

“Ha ha, very funny, Jake.” She looked down to see the Doctor still sitting on the floor staring at the bird. “Doctor, you okay? What’s wrong.” She kneeled down and looked at him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he whispered to her, and looked down to where some of the Hadry blood had spilled. “I spilled a bit. You need to take me home now, before it’s too late.”

Rose stared at the blood. “Doctor, what is that?”

Jake walked up. “We need to get ‘im to Torchwood Medical now!”

“What is this!” Rose demanded.

“Hadry blood. It’s poisonous, it’s what’s killin the birds.”

“No. Rose, take me back to the manor. Hurry!”

Rose helped him up and started taking him toward an empty SUV.

“Rose! What do ya think you’re doing! He needs a hospital!” Jake shouted at her.

“No, Jake. He wants to go home and that’s where I’m taking him,” she told him, as she loaded the Doctor into the passenger seat. “Pete give me your keys.”

“Rose, be reasonable. Let us help him.”

The Doctor shouted, “Rose, now. No hospital!”

“Pete, please!”

Pete handed her the keys. “Be careful out there. These things are still loose.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, and squealed the tires as she sped off.


	33. Through the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor was poisoned by Hadry blood which he spilled on himself. This is a VERY DARK chapter but it ends on a happy note. This contains references to the destruction of Gallifrey with brief appearances by every previous incarnation of the Doctor. The part about the willow is partly taken from The Willow Tree Foundation website.

By the time Rose reached the manor, the Doctor was barely conscious. She pulled into the drive and screamed for Perry who came running to the car and helped her carry and drag him upstairs to their room.

“Perry, he’s been poisoned. He’s burning with fever," Rose stuttered, shaking as she watched sweat bead his flushed skin. "On they way here, he told me that his body will start to shut down and go into a healing trance. He said there’s nothing we can do and he wasn‘t sure what would happen,” she finished, breaking down into tears.

“Rose, we must make him as comfortable as possible and you must tell me how he was exposed to this poison and what type of poison,” Perry calmly said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

They removed his clothing and pulled the blankets over him. He opened his eyes and looked at Rose. “Rose. Promise me, promise me you won’t leave me. Please. I... I’ll do better. I can be better, Rose,” he said as he began shivering.

Rose laid down next to him and put her arms around him. “I told you, I’m never gonna leave you. I’m right here and not gonna go anywhere. I love you,” she told him, her voice cracking and tearful. He sighed and closed his eyes falling into unconsciousness. Perry came back upstairs with tea and a pitcher of water.

Rose looked at Perry. “I’m so scared. I can’t lose him, I can’t.”

“Have faith, Rose. The Doctor is strong and he knows you’re here. Keep talking to him. He can hear you and needs to hear you. Now, tell me about this poison.”

“It’s the blood of the Hadry. You know we’ve been working on these Eternal tasks. Well, a few months ago when we went to the Scottish Highlands, we were supposed to find this Hadry thing. It turned out a lake had turned into this water spirit and we killed it to release the lake water. Only, it was just the body not the head. The Doctor said the blood from the head was deadly poison. He took a sample and kept it. Now, there’s these mutant birds attacking in London so he used the Hadry blood to poison ‘em.. But it spilled on him and now he’s poisoned. I’ve got to help him, Perry.”

Perry walked over and put his hand on the Doctor’s fevered and damp forehead. “This Hadry, what did it look like?”

“The Doctor said it was like a Hydra. You know, like in the Hercules legend.”

Perry nodded. “I believe that the Doctor’s biology is fighting it off. It's an internal battle, this raging storm, that is causing his fever. You must be strong for him, Rose, like the willow tree is strong. Its branches are long and bending and give the appearance of being weak and fragile. Yet, when the storm rages it is the willow tree that stands strong as its branches move and stretch with the wind, ever bending, never breaking.”

Rose nodded, tears pooling in her eyes as she gripped the Doctor's hand. “Thank you for being here, Perry.”

Rose spent the next few hours by the Doctor’s side with a damp flannel gently wiping his face, chest and hands. It was excruciating to watch him thrash about, moaning, his face scrunched up in pain and his skin un-naturally flushed. A few times, she had to climb on top of him when he went into convulsions. She held him down to prevent him from rolling off the bed or banging his head against the head board. Perry periodically brought more water, tea, flannels and some food for Rose to eat which she would always decline until Perry threatened her.

At one point, the Doctor started calling her name. Rose crawled in bed with him. “I’m right here. It’s gonna be okay,” she whispered to him.

“Rose, don’t leave me, please!” he called out.

“No, love, I’m here,” she promised, tears trailing down her face. He sounded so forlorn when he called out to her and it was breaking her heart.

“No! Don’t go! Please, please, please! He can’t give you what I can!” he cried out, tears wet on his face.

“Doctor, I’m here. I promise. And I’ll always be here for you.” She wrapped herself around him and continued whispering the words in his ear until he calmed down. He was still restless but seemed less frantic. The fever continued to rage. At one point, he was so hot, it felt like Rose was sleeping in a bed of hot coals and he shivered so violently she was worried he was convulsing again. Perry continued to bring fresh linens, flannels and tea up to Rose. He also brought her an herb poultice he made from the garden as well as a special herb tea which Rose struggled to have the Doctor sip.

The third day Perry arrived in the room with Rose’s mobile. “I’m most sorry to disturb you, but Mrs. Tyler insists. She no longer wishes to receive reports from me.” Rose sighed and took her mobile from Perry.

“Rose! What do you think you’re doing? He should be in a hospital! Let Torchwood come over and pick him up.”

“No Mum. It’s not what he wanted. They can’t help him anyway.” Rose's voice was sharp but she didn't care. The Doctor was her priority.

“You don’t know that! He’ll get the best care there. Please, sweetheart. Let us help you.”

“Mum, he’s getting the best care here. Perry and I are looking out for him. He told me he would be going into this healing coma. I have to trust him, Mum.”

“Oh Rose. I hope you know what your doing," Jackie said with a sigh. "Will you at least let Pete and me come over and help?”

Rose realized she was going to have to let them come over or they might force the issue. “All right but not for a couple of days, okay.”

“Promise me you’re taking care of yourself. You can’t care for him if you don’t eat and rest. You need help.”

“Mum, I’ve got help. Perry is here and he’s seeing to it that I eat and get some rest.”

“Fine. Pete and I will be there day after tomorrow. Promise me you’ll call if you need anything.”

“I promise, Mum. Thank you.” After Rose rang off with Jackie, she looked over at the Doctor and started to doubt that she made the right the decision. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and listened to him murmuring some alien language in his sleep. She laid down next to him and dropped off to sleep. She was awakened a few hours later with him thrashing and screaming loudly.

“No! You can’t! It’s wrong!” He sat up and opened his eyes.

“Doctor, can you hear me,” Rose asked, looking into his fevered eyes.

“I have to. I have to. Oh, what have we done? It has to end! We have to end!” he shouted, and then screamed in agony. “No, I don’t want to live. I can’t. The pain. The silence. My penance. Why did I live? I am the destroyer, the darkness. I am death.”

Rose shivered from his hoarse screams and the toneless words he ended with. She gently pushed him down. “Shhh. It’s over. You’re safe now.”

“Not safe. No peace. Never for me. I killed them all. I don’t deserve it. Should have died with them. I don’t deserve her.”

Rose picked up his hand and tenderly kissed it. “You’re a good man. The best. You’ve helped so many people. You mean everything to me.”

“No, don’t deserve her. She’s innocent and shining. I’ll destroy her. I have to…”

“Doctor?” Rose asked, panic tightening her chest.

“My Rose, my savior, she stopped me, stopped the darkness.” He collapsed and fell asleep and Rose collapsed next to him frightened and worried about his nightmares and screaming.

“Please be all right,” she whispered, tears running down her face as she ran her fingers through his hair caressing him. Later that afternoon, he awakened screaming again. Perry was there this time.

“Rose, I think perhaps we should try something else to assist him in overcoming this affliction.”

“What do you mean?”

“You need to calm him and help him focus on healing.”

“I’m trying Perry. I just don’t think I can get through.”

“No, Rose. You have to go to him.”

“I don’t understand?” She shook her head looking down at how pail and gaunt the Doctor looked.

“He is a Time Lord. You have to go where he is now, deep within himself. He’s trapped in his memories, guilt and despair. It’s clouding his mind and purpose. He cannot heal his body until he’s healed his spirit. You can help him, Rose. You have a connection.”

“No Perry. He’s the telephathic one. I only was able to connect with him while he’s conscious and only with help of this bracelet he gave me." She traced a finger around the gleaming metal encircling her wrist. "I can’t do it without his help.”

Perry smiled. “The lovely TCB believes you can. She will help you if you allow it.” Rose looked down at the floor and felt the warm presence of the TCB in her mind. She'd been so worried and focused on the Doctor, she'd not paid attention to her friend.

“I know she’s doin’ her best to help," Rose said and wiped at her tears. "I feel it. Her song’s a bit different though.” Rose turned to put her hand on a wall thinking thoughts of gratitude to the TCB. The TCB responded to Rose with an image of the Doctor sonicing a wound on her arm and kissing it to make it better. Rose smiled. “Yeah, I wish it was that simple.” The TCB then showed her an image from India of Abhaya and the meditation room. Rose perked up and understood.

“You want me to meditate so you can help me connect with the Doctor’s mind?” Rose asked the TCB. The answer was a feeling of hope that washed over her. Rose looked over at Perry. “Will you help me, Perry?”

“You have but to ask. It may help if you lay down next to him and relax. Try to let your mind be at ease. Let go of your worries and troubles. Think of a happy, joyous time when you felt at peace and content. Then let go.” 

Rose nodded and cuddled up to the Doctor. She closed her eyes and thought of their Indian wedding. Soon, the song of the TCB was weaving through her memory and Rose felt a change around her. She opened her eyes and she was no longer in the manor, She stood in field of vibrant red grass.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

As Rose found her way into his thoughts and mind, The Doctor was in a place of his own torment. He had been drawn back to the heart of his darkest hour, the destruction Gallifrey. He was standing in his brown pinstriped suit and trainers on a hill of tall red grass rustling with a breeze from the mountains behind him. The orange sky was dotted with amber and scarlet explosions of macabre fireworks symbolizing the death and destruction raining down from above. 

Soon, the wind carried the scent of cloves intermingled with burnt buildings, ships and flesh in a sickening reminder of the grim circumstances of his planet. The domed city before him reverberated with the terror and despair of its citizens. A few Daleks successfully pierced the atmosphere and planetary defenses on a straight course for the city. Ash fell from the sky in flurries of devastation dusting the red grass with the evidence of the destruction to come.

The ash coated his hair and coat as he slowly made his way toward the falling city almost as if he was magnetically drawn to it and unable to turn away from the horror of it all. His foot bumped something. He looked down to see the grass was now covered in bodies. The scarlet, orange and green robes on the dead fluttering in the wind. He gripped his head, screamed and started running tripping over the cadavers until he could run no more. The dead grasped at his legs. They stared at him with cold, accusing eyes with curses and accusations uttered from their pale and blue tinged mouths like sharpened projectiles piercing his hearts.

Explosions and temporal tremors tore through the atmosphere shaking the ground. He looked up toward the domed capital and watched in anguish and horror as millions of Daleks peppered the sky over the city. Only the sound of his beloved blue box shook him from the terrifying and mesmerizing effect of the fall of Gallifrey. 

He made his way over to the Tardis and leaned his head against her allowing her song to flow over and around him like an oasis in the desert. He looked up as he heard the harsh never ending “Exterminate” echo all around the now smoke obscured field. Fallingl to his knees, he leaned against the TARDIS, his suit and coat now soaked through with perspiration. “I can’t. Please, please, please no. Don’t make me do this again. Please." He pressed the heals of his hands into his eyes and cried out, heaving sobs now overtaking him.

A flash of golden light to his right caught his attention. It banished the death and destruction that had previously cluttered the area. From the light, emerged the one person who he never wanted to see the result of his choices, his darkest hour. Rose. \But it couldn’t be. She couldn’t possibly be here. He stood up, now angry that someone or thing dared come here using her face. He focused his rage on this imposter who dared approach him in her image here of all places.

“Whoever or whatever you are, how dare you use her image. Get out!”

“Doctor, it’s me. Please, you’re terribly ill and in a coma. I’m here to help.”

“Help! No, you’re here to torment me. To remind of all that I can’t have, what I don’t deserve. Get out or I’ll make you regret you even thought of using her face. That’s your last warning.”

“Doctor, I swear to you it’s me," Rose pleaded. "The TCB helped me to reach you, here in your mind." She looked around at where they were and stared at the domed city being assaulted by a massive cloud of Daleks. “Oh Doctor, I’m so sorry,” she told him, tears streaking down her face as she watched the city fall.

He stared at her for the longest time, not saying a word or even moving. Rose stared back at him unaccustomed to his stillness. “If you are my Rose, then prove it.”

Rose smiled gently and stepped toward him. She was dressed in a long flowing gown of white and gold that wrapped around her in a style she did not recognize and assumed it was a Gallifreyan fashion. “My Doctor, I have loved you for so long, longer than you even know. How could I resist a bloke who blew up my job and saved my world from living plastic and then took me on adventure after adventure, teaching me about everything." She paused and stepped forward again.

"You showed me how to live and I love you for it. I loved the first you who complained about domestics and was determined to keep everyone from getting too close. I loved the second you who babbled his way out of problems and pretended to hate Mum’s tea but kept coming back for more and I love this you because you told me you love me. You put up with so much and through it all you stayed with me. Even with my wedding crazy mum, you stayed. I just need you to stay with me a bit more. I’m not gonna leave you cause this poison sent you into the darkness.”

“Rose,” he whispered and took a step toward her. And then another and another until he gently lifted a hand up to her face and caressed her. There was a huge explosion and he jerked around as the domed city began to crumble and the eye of harmony began to erupt forth devouring everything. 

Suddenly, his past incarnations began to appear wandering in and out of the smoke cloaked field. His eighth incarnation in his Victorian coat and cravat with long wavy brown hair and sad blue eyes, face filled with regret stared at the city and turned to them. His eyes mirrored his despair and bored into the Doctor and then turned to Rose. His face relaxed as he gazed at her. He closed his eyes and then opened them looking at the Doctor. He nodded and faded back into the field.

Next, his seventh form with his vest of question marks stepped closer staring at the fallen city with speculation and a shadow of anger. He turned to the Doctor and Rose and stared at them as if he was working out a puzzle. He tipped his hat at Rose and walked off swinging his umbrella. An angry blond, curly haired sixth incarnation stomped forward rage in his face as he glared at the massive Dalek army. He swung around in anger with a look of unbridled accusation. He stood in his multicolored coat looking at them judgmentally before breaking out into a smile and walked away. 

The fifth incarnation walked up in his soft yellow suit, striped pants with the ever present celery in his lapel, the wind ruffling his fair hair and stared solemnly at what remained of the city as another time tremor rocked the field. He looked down at the ground and then back up at them almost startled by whatever he saw in Rose. He turned and walked away. The vagabond form of his fourth self in his baggy brown coat, hat and long multi colored scarf walked up and glanced at the city almost with disinterest, hiding his feelings deep down in his gray eyes. He wandered up to the Doctor, looked him up and down let out a “hmmm“, turned to Rose and tossed her a bag of jelly babies. He smiled and whistled his way back into the smoke.

His third self, wearing a blue velvet smoking jacket with his mass of curly gray hair, wandered forward stared at the city and shook his head. He looked speculatively at the Doctor and Rose and turned to walk away. The second black haired incarnation practically bounced out of the smoke. His lively eyes saw the flames and time fluctuations and grew wide. He pulled out his recorder and played a few sad notes. He headed back into the smoke lifting his recorder up in salute to Rose as he left.

The Doctor’s first incarnation walked out of the smoke wearing a dark suit and using a walking stick. He stared coldly at the city and turned to the Doctor and Rose with a look of disdain. When he first saw Rose he stepped back, pausing once to give her a calculating look before he too vanished. Finally, his ninth incarnation walked purposely from the smoke wearing his ever present black leather coat. He stared at the city his face barely revealing his distress and turned to Rose with a tender look in his blue eyes. He gave her a brilliant smile before he also disappeared into the smoke.

“What was that all about?” Rose asked the Doctor, after all his past regenerations had disappeared.

“That was me,” he said softly and turned as the time anomaly grew and more of time and space warped.

“Doctor,” she whispered, touching his shoulder. He looked back at her. "Time to leave.”

The next thing Rose knew they were back at Bad Wolf Bay. She was dressed in jeans and her blue leather coat, standing on a sand dune watching the scene of she and the two Doctors play out in front of her except, it was different. She watched as the brown suited Doctor took a step forward and said something to other her who then threw herself into the Time Lord’s arms and was snogged thoroughly by him while her blue suited Doctor stared in despair. The wind carried the conversation over to her and which she listened to with a heavy heart.

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you go,” the brown suited Doctor told other Rose gazing into her eyes. He looked up at his metacrisis. “You’re full of blood, anger, revenge and out of control. It‘s too dangerous to have you in our universe.” He looked down at other Rose and gently caressed her cheek. “We have to leave and won’t be coming back. You know that, right?”

Other Rose nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready. I told you, I’m not gonna leave you.” He kissed her and grsped hand and nodded at Jackie.

“You take care of her, you hear me! If you don’t, I’ll be ripping down the walls of the universe with my bare hands to come after you.” Other Rose turned to her with tears in her eyes and Jackie ran up and embraced her.

“Wait a minute, just wait a minute. This isn’t how this suppose to happen. Rose is meant to be with me! My forever matches her’s now! Rose, please!” the blue suited Doctor said, a pleading look in his eyes.

“I, I don’t want to leave either of you but, he needs me and me and him we’re…”

“No! you were meant for me and he knows that! He’s being selfish and cruel. This is exactly what I never wanted you to see about me, but apparently, his arrogance and self indulgence is overruling what he knows to be true. Well, I won’t have it!” the blue suited Doctor raged.

“You see. You’re out of control," the brown suited Doctor noted coldly. "And besides it’s not like you’ll be alone. Jackie and Pete will help you."

The Tardis made a noise and Donna reminded everyone that the walls of reality are closing. The Doctor pulled Rose back as she looked sadly at his blue suited self, guilt evidenced on her face. She mouthed “I’m sorry” to him, as the Doctor tugged her back into the TARDIS.

“Noooo!” the blue suited Doctor screamed and pulled out his sonic aiming it at the TARDIS. The TARDIS tried to dematerialize but couldn’t. A wind whipped up the ocean into a frenzy and sand swirled about in mini cyclones as he stepped closer and closer to the struggling TARDIS. A crack of white light shot across the darkened stormy sky.

“Giver her back to me!” he shouted.

Rose watched in horror as the scene before her played out. As she watched the sky appear to rip itself apart, she ran down the beach to her Doctor.

“Doctor, please, I’m right here,” she told him, grasping his arm. He was so focused on stopping the TARDIS, he didn’t seem to notice her. Finally, she grabbed the arm holding the sonic and yanked hard turning him toward her. “I’m right here!”

His dark eyes were filled with fury, the oncoming storm resonating in them. He grabbed her and pulled her toward him. “You Are Mine!” he shouted, gripping her so hard she winced.

“Please,” she whispered to him.

“I won’t allow anyone to take you ever. You were always meant to be mine.” He roughly tugged her toward him, his eyes burning into her hers and roughly kissed her. When he pulled away his eyes shone with something Rose had never seen in him before, some underlying power and alieness. “I’ll make sure everyone knows your mine. No matter where or when you are, all will know.”

She cried out and he stopped. Everything around them stopped and there was utter stillness and silence. The triumphant cruel look on his face fell swiftly to be replaced by one of horror and sadness. “What have I done!” he cried out, and fell to his knees before her, clutching at his head. “Oh Rose, what have I become? What have I done to you!” He wrapped his arms around her, his head pressed to her stomach and wept. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around him tightly and whispered soothing words into his ear.

“It’s gonna be all right. I’ve got you and I’m not gonna let go. Shhhhh. I just want you safe, my Doctor,” she crooned, as she rocked him. 

Her words jarred him out of his misery and he looked up into her eyes with a hint of fear. Those familiar words that she had once spoken to him oh so long ago brought a familiar anxiety to him and made him stop and think about what was happening. He looked at her and all around and suddenly found them back at Dutton manor, beneath the house, close to the heart of the TCB. He pulled back and swallowed. “This is not real, it’s a delusion or dream or…”

“Yes!” Rose shouted, excited to finally be able to talk to him rationally. “You’re in a coma and you needed help. You were poisoned with Hadry blood and you’ve been in a fever for days now. I came in to help you focus so you can heal. Please Doctor, please listen to me. I’m so worried about you and I miss you. Please we have to get you well.”

He looked at her and closed his eyes his head dropping for a moment and then looked up at her. “You, you saw all of that,” he said, horrified that she had witnessed the darker aspect of his personality which he had always tried to keep from her.

“Yeah and it’s okay,” she told him, tearfully. “You and me, we’re gonna get through this together.”

“How can you possibly want that after what you’ve seen. I’m a monster.”

“No. You’re no more a monster than any of us are. Doctor, we all have dark bits inside of us. I do too. You’re a good man and the man I fell in love with. If you can love me without measure, why can’t you understand how I can love you?”

“Rose, I’m really messed up.” He shut his eyes and scrubbed at his face.

“Yeah, I kind of like that actually,” she told him, a smile creeping back on her face. “You ready to get well and go home now?” she asked stepping forward and grasping his hands in hers. He looked down at their joined hands and back up to her.

“Yeah," he agreed softly. "But Rose, how did you break into my mind like this? You shouldn’t have been able to do that.”

“I might have had help from the TCB,” she replied with a grin.

“But that shouldn’t have worked either.” He a look of wonder crossed his face and he smiled. “Oh Rose, you clever girl you. I think your telepathic skills have developed. I don’t think you’ll need that bracelet anymore, at least not to speak to me.”

Rose’s forehead wrinkled as she thought about what he said. “You mean the TCB just gave me a boost cause I was already able to connect to you?”

“Yeah,” he said softly, staring at her. “Rose, you saved me today, again. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been here.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked.

“I mean that I may have awakened in a much darker place,” he answered, mysteriously.

“Doctor?” Rose questioned with worry.

“Time to wake up I think,” he said with a slight smile. “Ready?” Rose nodded her head. 

She awakened sitting up straight and gasping. Perry ran over and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. “I’m okay.” She turned back to the Doctor who was laying next to her and who was awake and looking at her.

“Rose, let’s not do that again," he croaked and coughed.

“Doctor,” she said in a teary voice, and leaned over and kissed his forehead while Perry fetched a glass of water.

The next morning, the Doctor was sitting up in bed with a tray between he and Rose. Rose was pouring his tea and lifting up a cover to reveal a plate filled with cut up bananas and all sorts of fruits, toast with jam and pastries. The Doctor scarfed down the food with relish, making up for the days he was unconscious. Rose sat back and watched him in amazement and relief. When he was finished and sipping his tea, he watched Rose holding her mug and staring off into space.

“Something on your mind,” he asked her.

She set down her mug and turned to him. “Yeah, all those past other yous, you never explained that.”

He smiled. “They are all a part of me. They’re still up here you know,” he told her, tapping his head. “It’s more than memories, it’s past personalities. Sometimes bit of them leak through the present me.”

Rose nodded absorbing this information. “Yeah, but why did they pop out then?”

“We’re about to be married. Well, we sort of already are and probably have been something like it for a while now. The human concept of marriage always sort of confuses me,” he told her, and scratched his head. “Anyway, many cultures have a custom of sharing as part of a binding ritual.”

“So, that was you sharing yourself with me.”

He nodded his head and sipped his tea. “Thank you,” she told him shyly, playing with a piece of toast on her plate.

“You gonna eat that toast?” he asked, as he stared at it licking his lips. Rose rolled her eyes and handed it over.

“Guess the sharing includes food too huh,” she teased.

He looked up at her innocently as he chewed on her toast. Eventually, a huge grin emerged on his face. “Rose Tyler, do you promise to love and share jam laden toast with me?” he asked her, cheekily.

Rose giggled. “I do,” she answered, with a grin.

A loud knock sounded on the door and Jackie and Pete burst in.

“Mum!” Rose exclaimed. “I thought you were coming tomorrow?”

Jackie put her hands on her hips and glared at Rose. “It is tomorrow. See, I knew you weren’t taking care of yourself." She shook her head and examined the doctor. "And look at him. He's even thinner and I didn’t think that was possible. Well, it’s good thing I’m here. I’ll make sure both of you eat. I swear the two of you get into more trouble.” Jackie walked over and kissed both of them and picked up the empty tray.

They asked Pete about the mutant bird situation. Pete assured them that Torchwood had it well under control and they had successfully eliminated all the birds and were working on the nests and clean up of the mutant droppings.

Jackie paused as she was walking away with the tray. “You two smell awful." She wrinkled her nose. "In the bath with you and no funny stuff either. Pete and I will work on getting lunch ready and bring it up. We’ll talk about everything you missed while you were laid up.” Jackie turned and headed to the door with Pete who smiled and winked at them. Rose thought an idea to the Doctor who raised an eyebrow at her. Telepathic communication was going to add a whole new level to their relationship.

Just as they thought they were alone, Jackie peeked her head back in the door. “Don’t think I won’t know if you try anything. Behave, both of you!”

After she was gone, Rose started to giggle. The Doctor looked at her with an annoyed expression. “After we’re married, I’m changing the locks. I refuse to have that woman anywhere near my bedroom much less our bath,” he said emphatically.


	34. Let The TARDIS Adventures Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After Rose saves the Doctor from his Hadry poisoned nightmare, he is recovering at the manor. Jackie might be over mothering him a bit. Soon, they will head off on their next task

After several days of “Jackie” pampering, the Doctor was ready to run fast and hard away from a certain future mother-in-law. Not, of course, did he ever use the words “mother-in-law.” And he made Rose promise to never use said words in his presence. Of course, running was out of the question. After all, he had promised Rose he would never leave without her. Eventually, he found refuge in a secluded area of the house.

Rose knew the Doctor was chafing at the amount of attention lumped on him by her, Pete and Jackie. Every time someone asked him “How are you?” or “Are you sure you don’t need something?” and the most annoying “You look tired,” he flinched, fidgeted and seemed to be looking for escape. It wasn’t hard for Rose to conclude that his conspicuous absence was a concerted effort on his part to avoid any more well intended comforting. Rose hit the most obvious places first, the roof, the basement and next on her list was the library.

“Doctor?”

His head peeked out from behind the back of a large wing-back chair tucked in a corner of the library. Rose giggled. “What are you doing back there?”

“Shhh, she might hear you. The woman has hearing like a Divorian Sand Methtoff.”

“Umm, all right. So, you’re hiding from Mum?”

“No, I’m investigating a spot behind this chair,” he answered, defensively.

Rose walked around the chair and knelt beside him in his new hiding spot. He had books and pillows piled up around him.

“So, where’s the dangerous and mysterious spot?” she asked, with a sparkle in her eyes.

He pointed to a half inch round black spot on the baseboard and wood floor. Rose looked the spot and then back up at him her forehead wrinkled with confusion. He stared intently at the spot through his glasses, his face mere inches from it.

“Doctor, what do you think it is? I mean it looks just like a knot in the wood to me.”

He sat up and turned to her but before he could respond, Jackie shouted out “Doctor!” He flinched, grabbed Rose and yanked her close to him as he hunkered down. Rose started to speak but he pressed his hand across her mouth to stop her. They heard Jackie walk in calling for him again, sigh and walk out. He let his hand drop from her mouth. “That was close,” he whispered to her, with a naughty grin.

“Really Doctor, she means well. She was worried about you and just wants to help.”

The Doctor sat back with a petulant expression “Maybe, but she doesn’t have to act like I’m a nine year old human child. I’m well over Nine Hundred thank you very much,” he told Rose, as he sniffed and crossed his arms pretending to examine a book.

She smiled and scooted over until they were shoulder to shoulder. She laid her head against his arm and he leaned into her.

“You know she wouldn’t do this if she didn’t love you,” Rose said softly, reaching over and grasping his hand gently stroking his knuckles with her thumb. “You know, I’m worried too. You doing okay?”

He pulled out his sonic and started playing with it. “I’m always okay,” he replied softly, not looking at her. After a few moments he stopped playing with his sonic and looked into her eyes. “You saw…that is, you saw me at my worst. You saw what I’m capable of becoming. It’s not who I want to be." He paused, staring at the sonice before continuing. "When I met you, I was close to that dark place and you changed me. You helped me find my way out of that darkness and well, want to live again. Rose, you and I are closer than I’ve been with anyone for a very long time. I don‘t want to lose that.” She slifted her hand up to caress his face.

“It’s gonna be okay. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will be. You just have to promise me that you’ll tell me when you’re feeling those dark feelings. I want to be there for you just like I need you to be there for me." She smiled when he leaned into her hand. "It's not like either of us is perfect or haven’t made mistakes. Doctor, I can take a lot of things, accept a lot but you shutting me out or leaving me behind, I just can‘t. So, if you promise to pull me back from the edge and stop me from doing stupid stuff, I’ll do the same for you. We do this together, yeah?”

“Together always,” he responded with a husky warmth.

“So, in order to keep you from getting all dark and irritated, guess I better go have a chat with Mum and Pete. Maybe I could suggest that we need some alone time. Besides, I know that Pete would like to get back to Torchwood. He’s going a bit spare here.”

The Doctor grinned at her. “Rose Tyler, you’ve saved me again. What ever shall I do to repay you?” he asked, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll think of something,” she told him with a smile, and leaned over and kissed him gently. “I’ll let you know when they’re leaving so you can come out, make nice with Mum and prove you’re okay,” she said before she left to find Jackie.

“Do I have to,” he whined, and then gave her puppy dog eyes as if it would change her mind.

“If you don’t, she’ll never leave,” Rose said with a matter of fact tone. He sighed and petulantly agreed.

After many assurances that both she and the Doctor were fine, Rose convinced Jackie and Pete that they would be okay on their own and promised to call if anything changed or they needed help. After Jackie and Pete had packed and were heading downstairs, Rose gave the Doctor the psychic “all clear” for him to come out of hiding.

“Jackie, Pete, leaving so soon?” he asked, walking up looking innocent.

“There you are sweetheart. I’ve been looking for you. Where were you? Didn’t you hear me calling?” Jackie asked, starting to fuss over him.

“Oh, well I must have dozed off for a bit while working on a project,” he told her, tugging at his ear and looking over at Rose who was making every attempt to not giggle. Pete looked away smiling as well.

Jackie crossed her arms and glared at him. “Oh, I’m sure that’s what happened. I suppose if you’re well enough to run off then you’re feeling better. Obviously, our being here made a difference,” she said with a satisfied smile. She walked over and hugged him. “Now you see here, enough nonsense. Whether you like it or not, you two are getting married in a few months and I’m not gonna let some weird alien stuff get in the way. I expect both of you to show up on your weddin’ day in proper wedding clothes and not with some weird alien virus that turns you purple or something. We’re clear on that now aren’t we, Doctor?”

“Uh, clear yes, very. Besides, Rose and I would have to get to the planet Plepur in their pre-industrial era to catch Elp Plague in order to be purple and I’m pretty sure that’s not gonna happen,” he told her, grabbing Rose’s hand and getting ready to run from any anticipated Jackie nuptial lectures. Luckily for the Doctor, Pete stepped in.

“Jackie, we really should be going. It’s been days since we’ve seen Tony and I think Nanny Fine is looking forward to a break.”

“Pete’s right Mum, and I know you miss Tony. Thanks so much for staying and helping us out, both of you.” Rose hugged both of them and walked them to the car. When Rose returned, she caressed one of the walls and thanked the TCB for being so understanding and accommodating while Jackie and Pete were in the manor. There had, thankfully, only been a few incidents. Rose grinned thinking about how the TCB had, with great restraint, put a stop to Jackie’s need to “improve” the manor by conveniently hiding paint samples that she had ordered, placing stasis fields around furniture Jackie tried to move and locking the doors to any rooms that Jackie was thinking about fixing.

Rose walked a little ways down the hall, closed her eyes and used some of her newly acquired telepatjic skills to find the Doctor. She visualized him in her mind and felt a warm hello emotion from him and knew he would be in the Tardis nursery. She quickly made her way out to garden and on to the greenhouse.

“Doctor?” she called out, tentatively walking through the greenhouse until she reached the young TARDIS. She was still amazed at the amount of growth in such a short period of time. The coral in the center of the TARDIS garden was now around eight feet tall. Rose daintily made her way amongst the sapling coral until she was standing in the center. She smiled and put her hand on the pink and gold TARDIS and listened to its vibrant and happy song.

“Rose!” the Doctor shouted out, as his head emerged from the inside of the coral startling Rose.

“Doctor, are you inside!” she exclaimed, with the greatest curiosity trying to peek around him.

“Yep!” he told her, popping his “p” and wearing a smug grin. “Come on!” He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. Rose jumped up and down with excitement as she raced inside with him. 

The interior was smaller than his original TARDIS but still had the coral theme and overall design. The central console and column was also much smaller. The interior was lit with a yellow glow and the pink and gold coral sparkled almost like little stars embedded in the support columns. White roundels lined the walls and like their original TARDIS, the floor was made of metal grating with a ramp leading from the entrance to the console. Rose let go of his hand, trailed her hand over the console and turned around in one space with a look of wonder and emotion.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, with tears in her eyes. The Doctor walked over to her and embraced her tightly.

“I knew you’d love it. Come over and see this,” he said excitedly, pulling her over to a spot on the console. She could see that there were several controls attached and a video screen seemed to be embedded into it. He had obviously been working on it as wires were hanging down from below and some of the grating on the floor had been lifted up. He seemed focus on one particular control panel.

“So what am I looking at?” she asked him, staring intently at the various dials and switches.

“It’s the chameleon circuit,” he replied with an enormous grin. Rose looked up at him with delight on her face. “So, I thought we could ask her to change and break it, together. Sort of a christening if you will,” he suggested.

“Will it hurt her if we do?” Rose asked, worried and gently caressing the console.

He smiled at her pleased. “Nope! So, what’s your pleasure?”

“I dunno. I love the old girl but, feels like we should let our new TARDIS be her own TARDIS, yeah?” Rose continurf to gently rub the console.

The Doctor nodded pride sparkling in his eyes. “As it turns out, there weren’t blue police boxes on this Earth. There were something similar only they were dark green. So, wanna see?” he asked her.

“Yeah.” He hit some switches, turned a dial and grabbed her hand. They ran to the exit and stopped. He turned to her with a huge grin on his face and presented the double doors to her. Before them, were two white police box doors. Rose gently opened the door and stepped outside. She stood back and looked the pine green police box, her eyes filled with sentiment as she remembered the first time she stepped into his original TARDIS.

“Well?” he asked smugly, obviously pleased with himself. Roses response was to grin and throw her arms around him.

“She’s perfect!”

“Molto Bene! Come on, there’s more,” he told her excitedly, as he pulled her back inside. 

He described all the work he had completed and the new and improved controls he installed. He explained that so far there was just the control room and a loo but it wouldn’t be too long before the new TARDIS expanded. She was still in a bit of a learning stage and he was helping her calibrate some of her systems and installing various pieces of equipment she needed. He also explained that Rose being on board and near her had a beneficial effect and the TARDIS was learning from Rose.

As he worked and chatted, Rose would hand him pieces of equipment and tools, taking a more active role in the mechanical construction of the new TARDIS. He would ask her for a tool and send her a telepathic image and she would hand it to him. Of course, her telepathic skills were not always up to par and he would often chastise her to concentrate. They quietly bickered about this until he pulled himself out from under the console. He leaned over, snogged her silly and whispered an apology for pushing. With a warm smile on their faces, they got back to work. As they worked, Rose thought about their next task.

“So Doctor, do we need to be worried about the next Eternal task? I mean, Torchwood finished sorting the birds for us so that bit is done.” 

“Hmmm. I suppose we should talk about it. The next thing on our list is similar to Hercules seventh task which was to capture the Cretan Bull. You see, he was suppose to capture this giant bull and deliver it to Eurystheus. So, off Herc went and sailed to Crete where he had a chat with King Minos." The Doctor paused fusing together to wires. "Now Minos gave Herc permission to take the bull away and even offered him help. Course, Herc was a bit full of himself and refused. Can you hand me the pneumatic polaric regulator,” he asked, as he related the Hercules story. She reached down and handed him something that she hoped was the pneumatic polaric regulator.

“So, Herc went off on his own to capture the bull. Now, Herc could be a bit of a brute and his solution to capturing the bull was to sneak up behind it and strangle it into submission. He then shipped it back to Athens. Eurystheus took one look at this massive bull and hid in a pithos which is sort of a giant urn. A bit funny that. This great big king hiding in an urn! Anyway, he told Herc to take it away which Herc did and then the bull wandered into Marathon and became known as Marathonian Bull.”

“So we have to what? Catch some bull?” Rose asked.

“Yep, except our bull is not on Earth. Apparently, a Canter bull somehow ended up on the planet Aramathon where it has no known predators. It's been wreaking havoc with the locals. Aramathon is an agricultural planet known for it’s fertile fields. The inhabitants are brilliant farmers who grow these amazing root vegetables. Now, you can imagine their annoyance when this bull shows up and starts tramping through the fields eating their produce. The only large animal on the planet is this sort of horse-like creature so the bull really stands out.”

“So, we have to go to this planet, catch the bull and take it back to where it came from?”

“Pretty much, yeah. Should be easy.”

“No!" Rose shouted. "Don’t you dare say that. Every time you say it, we end up knee deep in Trash People and carnivorous birds.” Rose chastised him.

“Now Rose, don’t be paranoid. It’ll be fine. We’ll pop over in our brand new Tardis, catch the bull and deliver it to Canter. The Aramathonians should be happy to see us since the bull is wreaking havoc in their fields.”

“You think the Tardis will be ready in time for us to pick up the bull?” Rose asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

“Oh yes! She should be ready for a short jaunt in space in a few days. Time travel may take a bit longer.”

“That’s brilliant!” Rose exclaimed, and cooed to the TARDIS.

“Um, there is one teensy problem,” he told her, fiddling a bit with a piece of equipment.

“What’s that?” she asked, too happy about TARDIS travel to let anything bother her.

“Welll, the bull will sort of have to be tied up while we travel and um he may not be happy about it. Could be a bit of an uncomfortable trip to Canter.”

Rose’s smile faded and she looked at him as an image of a giant bull in their small console room began to emerge in her head. She turned to him. “You sure we can do this with the TARDIS? I mean it’s not gonna hurt her or anything? What if the bull got loose? He could damage her couldn’t he?”

“What? No, we won’t let that happen. We’re just gonna have to tie him up or try and subdue him or you know distract him for the few minutes it takes to get to Canter,” the Doctor explained, trying to make it sound like no big deal.

Rose stared at him for a while and turned to the console. “Don’t worry love, I’ll protect you from the big mean bull,” Rose told the Tardis, patting the console lovingly.

“Oi, you saying I won’t keep her safe,” the Doctor said indignantly.

Rose turned to him. “Us girls have to stick together,” Rose answered him primly.

“I am so in trouble,” he murmured, while Rose smiled and whispered calming and encouraging things to the TARDIS.

A few short days later, they were in the midst of preparing for their trip when Jackie called to check on them.

“Hello Sweetheart, how’s himself?” Jackie asked Rose.

“Oh, he’s fine. He’s already mucking about the Manor building a sonic kettle, a better oven and you know,” Rose told her.

“Well tell him not destroy the whole kitchen. So, how’re you. Do you need me to stop by and bring anything?”

“Thanks Mum, but we’re fine.”

“You’re sure? I just worry about you, sweetheart. Maybe you and the Doctor should come into town for a bit. Pete and I would love to have you stay over. That new Star Trek movie is premiering and we could make a night of it. What do you think?”

Rose could just imagine what the Doctor in the theatre with a Star Trek movie would be like. His gob would run nonstop about how they got it all wrong. “Sorry Mum, but the Doctor and I have other plans. We’re gonna to take a trip to this farm and enjoy some fresh air.”

“A farm? You can’t be serious. This is his idea isn’t it?”

“Um, sort of,” Rose told her.

“Well, all right. If you change your mind, ring me. Have a nice time and don’t let him convince you to turn the garden into some farm yard. It’d be just like him to go find some alien chickens and want to bring them home.”

Rose laughed. If her Mum only knew how possible that was. “No Mum, I won’t let that happen. Thanks for thinking of us, have fun at the movie.”

The Doctor bounded up just as she rang off. “Ready?” he asked, with barely contained glee.

Rose answered him with a huge grin, grabbed his hand and dashed into the new TARDIS. The stood at the console hand in hand and he turned to her. “Let’s do this together." He give her instructions and together they began flipping switches and pressing controls until their new TARDIS began dematerializing and soon they were space bound for Aramathon. No sound could have been sweeter to them than that of a TARDIS bound for a new adventure.

Not unlike the original TARDIS, the ride was a bit bumpy as their new TARDIS acclimated to travel. They had taken her on one short jaunt to the moon and back but other than that, this was her first true long distance voyage. It was debatable as to who was more excited, the Doctor and Rose or the new TARDIS. They landed on Aramathon with a distinctive thud which knocked them off their feet. Laughing with the sheer joy of traveling again, the Doctor rolled over and grasped Rose’s hand and pulled her up in one fluid movement. They walked to the doors hand in hand and the Doctor snapped his fingers.

The doors opened to a lush field of bluish-green knee deep grass swaying in a light breeze beneath a golden yellow sky. They stepped out and Rose inhaled the sweet aroma of grass perfumed with a sweet honeysuckle scent. The breeze carried a slight chill so Rose zipped her blue hoody closed over her pale blue shirt and was glad she wore her thick dark jeans today.

“Aramathon! Known for a very conducive climate suitable for growing a variety of vegetation and crops. Look down there in that valley. See those fields. That’s where we’re headed,” the Doctor explained, as he tugged on her hand and headed down the hill toward the farm.

It didn’t take them long before they reached the outskirts of the field and came across some farm workers. They appeard to be harvesting purple and yellow colored root vegetables.

“Hello there! I’m the Doctor and this Rose and we’re looking for a creature we heard was wreck fields in these parts. Don’t suppose you’ve seen it?”

One of the workers who looked like he might be a foreman walked over to them. The man was quite human-like with the exception of a slight green tint to his skin and greenish-black hair. He was dressed in khaki overalls and black boots.

“Are you from the Bureau?” the stocky man asked, suspiciously.

“Yes! We’re here to solve the problem and remove the beast. Here’s my identification the Doctor told him, and showed him the psychic paper.” The man examined it and nodded.

“I’m Egrad and manage this farm. It’s about time someone in the Bureau listened to us. This thing has knocked down fences, damaged irrigation systems, a weather control center and trampled and destroyed over half of our newly sprouted fields. So, they just sent two of you?”

“Yep, just me and Rose but don’t worry we have experience with this sort of thing. So, where was it last seen?”

Egrad looked at Rose with disdain before turning back to the Doctor. “Three clicks over that hill. When you see the gray utility shed turn toward the green lake. It was seen there abouts. Are you sure the pale female should be involved. She does not look fit for such a task,” Egrad told the Doctor, refusing to even look at Rose.

“Oh don’t worry about us. Rose is a bit sturdier than she appears. Well, we’ll just be off then. Thanks for your help.” the Doctor nodded to him, took Rose’s hand and walked off toward the hill that Egrad and pointed out.

“This lot have a problem with women?” Rose asked the Doctor, miffed at being so easily dismissed.

“Oh no, no, no. It’s probably your coloring. They see anyone or thing looking pale and they assume your weak and sickly. This culture believes in survival of the fittest. They’re not ones to coddle the sick and weak.”

“What, you mean if someone gets sick, they let them die?”

“Not exactly. They’re a bit prejudiced you see. They send the sick and weak off to the cities. The farmers are an intolerant lot.”

“So you’re telling me if they have a sick kid, they just ship him or her off to the city? So this Egrad bloke’s never been sick?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. Depends on how they define sick. Could be that if they don’t pop back from a cold, they ship them off. Like I said, survival of the fittest.”

“Sooner we’re off this world the better,” Rose muttered, fuming at the prejudice being displayed.

“Remember, different morality,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get used to it.”

He smiled, leaned over and picked a small white wildflower while they were walking and presented it to her with a flourish. She smiled and put in her hair. They chatted quietly about the different plants and wildlife on this world as they walked swinging their hands between them while they hiked up the hill. Soon they reached the gray shed and after circling around saw the green pond.

They slowly walked up, scanning the water and the trees for any sign of the bull.

“I’ll check the trees. You stay here and keep an eye out along the shore and let me know if you see anything bullish,” the Doctor said as he backed up toward the trees. “Oh look, blackberries!” he exclaimed as he passed a blackberry bush.

“Bull,”

“No, they really are blackberries. Really that‘s a bit rude, Rose Tyler,” he told her, as he popped one in his mouth.

“No, Doctor. Bull, over there,” she said, pointing over his shoulder, a fearful look on her face.

He turned and looked where she was pointing.

“Oh, that’s one big, angry looking bull” he said, backing up toward Rose. He turned to her. “Uh, run!”


	35. The Doctor vs The Bull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose are on Aramathon in the midst of their next task involving transporting a bull. It’s not going well for them

Rose and the Doctor leaned against the wall inside the utility shed as the bull banged against the outside shaking the meager metal walls.

“Doctor, what are we gonna do? That bull must be at least six feet tall and must weigh at least three hundred Kilos not to mention it’s seriously annoyed with us.”

“Yes, well it appears we need to take a bit more of an animal husbandry approach." He winced at the the clang as bull horn met metal. "There could be something said for a good old fashion round up right about now.”

“Seriously, like an American cowboy with boots, horses and lassos?

He grinned at her. Rose stared at him and a smile began to creep across her face as she imagined him all geared up, riding a horse with a Stetson and swinging a rope. She might have licked her lips and had a dreamy look in her eyes at the thought of what she would like to do with a Doctor with a stetson, boots and rope, especially if it involved naughty role playing.

“Rose Tyler, you wicked girl you. You were having impure thoughts about me weren’t you?” he teased, with a cocky grin. “Never knew you had a thing for a stetson. I’ll have to remember that for later.”

Rose giggled and bumped her head into his shoulder as the whole building trembled causing dusty tools and supplies to fall off shelves and crash down around them. Rose curled up closer into the Doctor as a sneezing fit overtook her from the amount of dust floating in the air from the bull’s assault. Eventually, the bull tired and wandered off.

“Well, at least we know where to start to track it,” the Doctor said as he stood and pulled her up.

“Right, but then when we find it again, what are we gonna do?” They exited the shed marveling at the indentations in the siding before they walked back toward the hill.

“Well, we can’t harm it. If I drugged it, we’d still need to get it back and into the TARDIS so that’s out. We need to persuade it to cooperate and lead it into the TARDIS.”

Rose gave him a skeptical look. “Doctor, how do you persuade a three hundred kilo, brown bull with sharp horns on its head to come take a stroll with us?”

“We simply offer it what it wants most. It’s got to be missing its normal diet which is Canteran sweet grass. We pop over to Canter and pick up some sweet grass. Pop back here, track it and set up a trap. When it goes to eat the grass we lasso it and then lead it back to the TaRDIS by offering it more sweet grass. See isn’t that brilliant!”

Rose shook her head. “Sounds a bit too easy and somehow I don’t think it’s gonna care for being lassoed. By the way, exactly whose gonna be doing the lasso thing?”

“Well I am of course!” he answered her, with a huge grin on his face. “I’ve always wanted to do that! Isn’t it exciting!”

“Uh yeah," Rose said but was thinking this was not going to work. "So we’re heading back to the TARDIS then?”

“Yep! Come on Rose, allonsy!” he shouted, and dragged her toward the TARDIS. After a quick trip to Canter where the Doctor purchased several bales of sweet grass to which Rose quickly found she was allergic, they landed once again on Aramathon. The Doctor and Rose once again approached the farm where they met Egrad.

Egrad took one look at sniffling and sneezing Rose and stepped back away from her. “The female leaves now! We don’t want her kind here,” he gruffly told the Doctor.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Fine, guess I’ll go wander off then,” she said sarcastically.

“Oi, not too far!” the Doctor reminded her, as he proceeded to explain what they needed from Egrad.

Rose walked off toward the top of the hill they had climbed earlier in their search for the bull. She gazed out over the rolling countryside enjoying the peaceful, bucolic beauty of the place. She saw a flash of white in the forest and saw a child peering at her from behind a tree. She slowly walked toward the woods. The child darted back behind some trees. When she reached the edge, she called out, “Hey, I won’t hurt you. You okay in there?” Slowly, a small child emerged from behind some shrubbery.

The boy looked to be around eight years old and had the same greenish tinted skin and black greenish hair with brown eyes. He wore the typical farmer’s clothing that the field workers wore. “Hi, my name’s Rose.”

He smiled brightly at her. “I am Nelf. Is it true? Are you here to capture the great beast?” he asked eagerly, and with great excitement.

“Well, yeah we kind of are. Have you seen it?” Rose asked, worried for the child’s well being as the bull had exhibited aggressive tendencies.

Nelf nodded his head enthusiastically. “Yes, I saw it arrive. It is very big.”

“Really? You saw it arrive? Can you tell me about it?” Rose asked, as she walked over and sat cross legged in a grassy patch near Nelf and then started to sneeze. She looked up to see the child nervously inching away from her. “Oh, don’t be afraid. I’m not sick. We just got back from visiting the bull’s home and it made my nose itch a bit.”

The child cocked his head and looked at her. “Are you one of the sickly city people?” he asked nervously.

Rose smiled. “No, I’m not. I promise you I’m not sick. Now, why don’t you tell me about the first time you saw this beast, yeah?”

“I was playing in the fields around sunset when a ship landed in a clearing in the forest. I’ve never seen a ship up close before so I went to look at it. When I arrived, there were pale people like you walking out and playing music. They were dancing and drinking. It reminded me of our harvest celebration except they didn’t look like farmers. Soon, a few of them led the beast out and tethered it to a tree. They took turns riding it. It did not look very happy and it broke the tether and ran off into the woods. The people didn’t stay long after that and went back to their ship and left.”

“Nelf, can you show me this clearing?” Rose asked him, now curious to solve the riddle of how the bull ended up here. The boy nodded his head and led Rose through the forest to the clearing. The area was littered with debris and the remnants of what was obviously a party. As she walked around examining things, the Doctor burst out of the woods.

“Rose! What did I say about wandering off. Blimey, I don’t know why I bother anymore,” he groused at her. He stopped his tirade when he saw Nelf run off into the woods. “Who was that?” he asked, walking up to where she knelt on the grown.

“What, you mean the little boy you just scared off with all the ranting?”

“I wasn‘t ranting,” he said, petulantly as he stared at an object in the grass.

Yeah, you were. Now stop getting all worked up over nothing. It‘s not like you couldn‘t have done the telepathic thing to find me.”

He glared at her and then sighed. “Rose, you know I worry about you. I don’t like it when we’re separated during these tasks. Too many bad things have happened already,” he tsaid softly. “Besides, we’re under a bit of a time crunch.”

“What do you mean time crunch?” she asked.

“I’m sure I told you that we had to get this task done by the harvest moon which is tomorrow night. That only gives us thirty hours and we still have to gather everything. What’s that you’re looking at?”

“No, you didn’t tell me that," Rose snapped. "And Nelf, the little boy you scared off, saw how the bull got here. He told me he saw a ship land and all these people got off and threw a party. Apparently they tied the bull up to a tree and were taking turns riding it when it ran off. They took off after that happened. They left this stuff behind,” Rose explained, perturbed at him.

He put on his glasses and examined the debris. “Well, it’s pretty obvious what went on here. I’d say this wasn’t just some random party. Looks like what you might call an intergalactic frat party,” he told her smiling.

“Scuse me? Did you say frat party? Like university students going to some off world kegger?”

“Yep! See this item under the bush?” he asked her, as he walked over and pulled it out. It was a silver pyramid with some green symbols on one side. “This is a Canteran version of a keg,” he told her, patting it on the side. “I’m betting that the bull was some sort of prank that got out of hand.”

Rose rolled her eyes at this. “Figures it would be something weird. So, does that mean the bull is some mascot or something?”

“Could be. We’ll figure that part out when we get back to Canter. All we’ll have to do is check to see which of the universities have a bull mascot that’s missing.”

“Right, so what’s next? What did you and Egrad the Terrible work out.”

“Egrad the Terrible? Really, Rose. Egrad the Idiot or Egrad the Intolerant is more like it.”

Rose giggled and the Doctor grabbed her hand as they started back through the woods toward the farm. “So, Egrad is letting us borrow a couple of horses. Well, they’re not really horses, more horse-like but they’ll do for our purpose. We’ll get the horses and ride out with the sweet grass and lay our bull booby trap. Ha! You like that? Bull booby trap!” He giggled at his joke and Rose just groaned.

They separated near the farm. The Doctor went to retrieve the horses while Rose went back to the Tardis to get the sweet grass ready. Just as she had finished pulling out the bales of sweet grass while sneezing profusely, the Doctor walked up with the horse creatures. Rose sniffed, blew her nose and turned to the Doctor. The creatures looked almost exactly like Earth horses with the exception of long droopy ears and dark green eyes. Both were a chocolate brown color with black mane and tales. Rose walked over and patted one of them.

“Well, they seem friendly enough. So no saddles?”

“Oh yes, they’re very friendly and well trained. On Aramathon they don’t use a saddle like on Earth, only this padding and reins. As he loaded an automated transport with the bales of grass, Rose watched him with a contemplative expression on her face.

“Right, ready? Want a leg up?” he asked her, with an excited glint in his eye.

“You gonna ride that thing like that?” Rose asked, staring at the Doctor in his brown pinstripe suit and trainers.

“What? What’s wrong with this? I’ll have you know that I have run from a Hadry, fought pirates, faced carnivorous birds and Trash people in this suit,” he adamantly told her.

“No you haven’t. We binned the suits after the Trash People and the bird thing,” she told him, crossing her arms.

“Fine. Maybe those suits did get a tad worn, but it’s still fine for this. See, I‘ll show you.” He climbed up on the horse-like creature and there was a ripping noise. Rose started giggling. The Doctor grimaced and looked down with a tremendous pout.

“The suit is fine for running and most everything else but for horseback riding, not so much," Rose noted. "Come on, back to the TARDIS. I put some stuff in my bag for emergencies,” she told him, and held our her hand and wiggled her fingers at him. He slid off the horse and walked over to her hands in his pockets looking over his shoulder once and muttering about primitive means of transportation and inflexible, inferior Earth fashion. In the TARDIS, she pulled out a pair of blue jeans and tossed them to him. He held them before him and examined them like some new questionable life form. He sighed and toed off his trainers as he removed his slacks and put on the jeans.

After he zipped them up and walked around a bit grimacing, he turned to Rose who was staring at him, well, at a particular part of him. “Rose Tyler, are you staring at my arse?”

“What?” she asked, innocently.

“You were! You were staring at my arse. Just how long have you been carrying these jeans around? I’m suspecting you’ve been waiting for a moment like this haven’t you!” he demanded, trying to sound outraged but his amusement was shining through.

“Torchwood taught me to always be prepared,” she answered him, trying to sound innocent but with a naughty glint in her eye.

“Well, I suppose I can’t blame you. It is a nice arse isn’t it,” he told her smugly, and patted his arse. “This is probably the best arse of any regeneration. Welllll, maybe except my fifth regeneration. I had a pretty fine arse in that body too,” he informed her, grinning and winked at her.

“Well, I think your ninth self had a really, really fine arse,” Rose said dreamily, as she folded up his slacks.

The Doctor walked put his arms around her pulling her tight into his body. She relaxed back against him smiling. “Hmmm, well this is a discussion we should definitely continue after we finish up here,” he murmured into her neck.

“Count on it,” Rose promised. 

When they turned to walk out, Rose let out a little gasp. On the console, was a white stetson. Rose giggled and ran over and picked it up. She thanked the TARDIS and walked over to the Doctor caressing the rim of the stetson. He grinned at her as she put the hat on his head. He adjusted it and winked at her. “Why thank you little lady,” he said with a Texas accent.

Rose laughed. “Come on Tex, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can have some fun with that stetson.”

They rode over the hill and back toward the lake where they first encountered the bull. From there, the Doctor tracked the bull through some woods and into a meadow.

“We’ll set everything up here. Why don’t you get the horses settled over behind that thicket and I’ll set up one of the bales.” The sun was almost set by the time he finished setting up the area. He came back to find Rose had laid one of the blankets on the ground and was pulling some sandwiches and drinks from a bag. They enjoyed a quiet dinner, laid down and watched the stars peek between the branches of the trees. Rose cuddled up to him and gently rang her fingers dipping back to trace his bum.

“At last, the truth comes out. You only want me for my arse,” he told her, and kissed her tenderly on the temple.

“Yeah, that’s right. Mmmm, my life is complete now that I have me some Time Lord tush. Course, lucky for me the rest of the package is pretty posh too,” she whispered in his ear, as she snuggled down for the night.

Rose woke up the next morning just as the sun was rising. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and realized the Doctor was already up. She watched him on his horse staring into the meadow. She heard a snort and sat up. The Doctor looked down at her and put a finger to his lips. She nodded and quietly stood up and put the blanket on her horse and held the horses reins. She watched the Doctor pick up a coil of rope and gently nudge his horse into the meadow. She mounted her own horse and watched as the Doctor slowly approach the bull.

The bull looked up at the Doctor’s horse, snorted and went back to munching on sweet grass. “Hello, big fella,” the Doctor quietly greeted the bull. “I know people haven’t been very kind to you. I just want help you get home so you can enjoy more of this nice juicy sweet grass. That’s it, just relax and enjoy breakfast.” He began to uncoil the rope and formed a loop. He slowly swung the rope in the air and threw it toward the bull. The loop landed around the bull’s bulky neck. The Doctor turned and grinned at Rose with manly pride. Rose watched in horror as the bull turned an angry look at the Doctor and charged the horse. The horse reared and the Doctor fell on his lovely arse that Rose had been admiring just a few hours ago.

The bull ran past him. The Doctor looked down at the quickly disappearing rope which he had wrapped around his hands. “Oh, no, no, no!” he shouted, as the rope went taught and he found himself roughly being dragged behind the rampaging bull through the meadow and into the woods.

“Oh shit!” Rose said, as she watched the Doctor dragged off behind the angry bull. She urged her horse to follow them, grabbing some handfuls of sweet grass as she crossed the meadow. She followed the trail which was clearly marked by the Doctor being dragged through mud, leaves, bushes and across small saplings which were now crushed. She found the Doctor a few hours later laying, a couple of meters from the bull who was standing in some bushes glaring at the prone Doctor.

She slid off her horse and grabbed some sweet grass. She slowly inched her way up to the Doctor stopping every time the bull snorted and looked agitated. When she finally reached the Doctor, she knelt beside him and turned him over. His faced was dirty and scratched and his hands were rope burned and bloody. One hand was bent in a strange angle. His suit coat, which he insisted on wearing with the jeans was equally dirty and torn. He had blood on his shirt and it looked like he had dislocated a shoulder.

“Doctor, where does it hurt,” she whispered, trying decide what to do first.

He looked up at her with pain filled eyes. “Everywhere,” he whispered back. He swallowed and assessed his physical state. “My, my shoulder is dislocated and I think my wrist is as well. Probably some broken fingers. Other than that scratches and contusions. Nothing too serious. Don’t let the bull get away.”

“All right, I’m gonna take the rope off your hands and tie it to the tree over there,” she told him indicating a tree to her left.

“Good, once you do that, you can help me snap my shoulder back into place,” he said, wincing.

“You sure about that? Maybe we should just get you back to the farm and call for a Doctor to look at it?”

“No time and anyway I don’t want any primitive healer from around here working on me. Remember, they’re not the most sympathetic lot to the injured or infirmed."

Rose tried to be as gentle as possible removing the rope but parts of it were embedded in his skin and blood had dried around it gluing it to his hands. Peeling it away from his hands, and especially his injured hand, had him whimpering and tears streaming down his face. Rose was crying softly herself as she saw the amount of pain he was suffering. Eventually, she succeeded and pulled the rope free of his hands and tied it around a tree.

The Doctor instructed her where to grip his shoulder and body in order to pop his shoulder back into the socket. He warned her he would lose consciousness and gave her his sonic and told her what setting to use to encourage healing in his muscles and tissue as well as a quick lesson on how to snap his wrist back into place and splint his fingers. Rose nervously gripped his shoulder, her chest tight and heart pounding. She counted to three and pulled with all her might as he screamed and then lost consciousness. During all the commotion, the bull tried to bolt but was prevented from escaping by the rope that Rose had tied to the tree.

With shaking hands and while quietly crying, Rose finished working on his wrist and hands. Nauseous and shaking, she walked back to her horse and retrieved a water bottle and along with a handkerchief she found his pocket. She cleaned his wounds and dabbed at his pale face. A few whispered encouraging words in his ear and soon his eyes fluttered open. He looked up into her concerned tear streaked face.

“We really must stop doing this,” he groaned, and tried to sit up with Rose’s help.

“Seriously, I feel like I shouldn’t leave the house with you without a first aid kit shoved in my pocket," Rose agreed in a trembling voice. "Are you sure there’s nothing else wrong with you. Your breathing sounds okay. I didn’t find any broken bones in your leg. I‘m worried you could have banged your head and have a concussion."

“Oh I’m fine other than what you took care of for me. Course, don’t think I’ll be dancing the tango with you anytime soon, but I’ll survive." He aimed a weak smile at here. "Why is it the creatures on these tasks all hate me?” he asked her, as he tried to stand up stumbling a bit into her.

“You sure you’re ready to walk?”

“Sure, I think, uh maybe.”

“Why don’t you lean against the tree while I go and have a chat with the bull, yeah?”

“What! You can’t! It’s vicious and has a mean streak.”

“We gotta get it back before the harvest moon rises and don’t have much time. I’m going to deal with the bull and that’s final," she said firmly. "Now stay here while I tell that big lunk exactly how things are gonna work.” Rose threw back her shoulders, pulled some of the sweet grass from her pocket and slowly and cautiously walked up to the bull talking softly to it. She held the sweet grass out in her hand in front of her as she approached it. It snorted and grunted and stomped its hooves. She stopped a few feet from the bull.

“Right, now see here. We’re just trying to get you home. So from here on out you’re gonna cooperate. I’m tired of watching my Doctor get hurt and stomped on by one thing or another so you can just put away the attitude," she lectured with a firm voice whilst her hands trembled. 

"Now, I know you gotta be hungry and I have what you want right here. So, you give me a chance and I’ll get you out of here,” Rose told the bull, and walked up to it with the sweet grass. It stared at her for while before it’s nostrils flared once and it took a step toward her. She waited patiently for it to take another step until it was sniffing the grass in her hand and started to eat. She continued to wait until soon she was running her hand over it’s muzzle. Not long after that, the bull was nuzzling her side for more sweet grass. She smiled and petted the bull on the neck.

“I don’t believe it,” the Doctor muttered behind her. She turned and looked over her shoulder at him and gave him the patent Tyler grin. She turned back to the bull. “See, big Time Lord brain, has to make everything so complicated,” she whispered to the bull.

“Oi, I heard that!” the Doctor stated loudly, leaning against the tree and wincing. Rose shook her head and began leading the bull back toward the Doctor and more of the sweet grass she had in her bag. Her horse shifted so Rose pulled the bull a bit further away to munch on more grass. She turned to the Doctor.

“Think you can ride or would you rather walk?” she asked him.

He sniffed and glared at the bull. I’ll walk. He took the reins of the horse and walked with a slight limp ahead of Rose and the bull. When they reached the meadow, Rose left the bull with the large bale of sweet grass, tied up the rope and finished clearing their camp while the Doctor rested. They very quickly made their way back toward the TARDIS stopping off at the farm to return Rose’s horse. It gave Rose great satisfaction to see the look on Egrad’s face as she led the bull by them on the way to the TARDIS. She grinned brightly and waived to Egrad and all the farm workers who all just stared at her with disbelieving eyes. When they reached the TARDIS, the Doctor opened up both doors wide.

“There now, that’s a good Bart. Shhh, we’re just gonna load you on the TARDIS and take you home,” Rose whispered to the bull.

“Bart? You’ve named the bull Bart?” he asked, with a disbelieving look.

“Yep, there a problem with that?”

“Nooooo but Bart? Why Bart?”

“Dunno, he just looks like a Bart to me.”

“Riiiight. Well, let’s get Bart loaded up.”

Rose encouraged Bart to enter the Tardis which took some doing on her part. The Bull was very stubborn and kept refusing to budge. Finally, Rose slapped him on the hind quarters and threw some sweet grass inside and the bull moved. It was a tight squeeze to say the least. She secured Bart’s lead to a support strut and walked over to stand next to the exhausted Doctor.

“Hey, you doing all right?” she asked, as he shakily set the coordinates.

“Fine,” he told her, and yawned as he set them off for Canter. The ride was slightly less bumpy but it was still rough enough to upset Bart the bull who started struggling, snorting and kicking at the coral. They landed with a thump and an agitated bull. 

The Doctor stumbled over to open the doors while Rose cooed to the bull and tried to calm him down. The Doctor looked outside to see they had landed on the main campus of Canter College amidst some sort of rally for the return of the school mascot. A group of students were walking around with signs around their neck declaring them thieves. They were surrounded with other students holding up pictures of the bull now wreaking havoc in his TARDIS.

The Doctor started to smile at the irony of it as he watched the students marching around chanting “We want Blake the bull back.” He heard Rose talking to the bull and turned back to see her wrinkle her nose.

“That was so uncalled for, Bart! A bit rude after we helped you get home and everything,” she ranted at the bull. The Doctor looked from Rose to the bull and helped her as she struggled to take the rope lead off of him. He slapped the bull on the hind quarters and it trotted out toward the students.

“Well, happy ending for our friend Bart,” he told Rose, as he held her hand.

“Yeah but it would’ve been nice if he hadn’t of left us with a bit of himself in the TARDIS,” she said and looked into the ship frowning.

“A bit of himself?” the Doctor asked, and then got a whiff from the interior of the TARDIS. He and Rose walked in and the doors slammed shut behind them making clear their ship was not happy.

“Oh that’s disgusting!” the Doctor shouted, as he waved his hand in front of his face. “That revolting creature left its feces on my magnificent time machine!” The TARDIS lights dimmed. Rose walked up to the console and patted it.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I promise we’ll get you cleaned up when we get home."

“We?” the Doctor questioned her.

“Well it was your idea to use the TARDIS as transport so that makes it partly you’re fault so yeah we, as in us together. I seem to recall you saying everything would be all right as long as we’re together and from now on it’s the two of us together. I think that includes shoveling...”

“Don’t!” he said, shaking a finger at her as he walked over to the console stepping over Bart’s statement of displeasure. 

“Besides, I’m injured,” he mumbled, as he set the coordinates for home. The ride home was more than a little bumpy and could almost be described as punishing. Rose lost her grip several times and fell against a support strut. They landed with enough force that it threw both of them into the manure.

“Ack, that’s just foul!” she said, as she tried to shake off bull refuse. The Doctor stood up and leaned against the coral.

“That’s it! There are officially no pets allowed on the TARDIS!” he proclaimed.

“Yeah,” Rose said as she looked at the mess stuck to her clothing. “Guess we better get unloaded and then get this cleaned up so we can get upstairs and get you looked after." She picked up the bag with their things and walked with the Doctor outside. Before they were barely through the door, it slammed.

The Doctor turned and tried to push it, but it wouldn’t open. He winced when he tried to connect with the TARDIS. “Uh, she’s a bit miffed with us.”

“She locked us out?” Rose asked, looking up at him.

“Yep, but look at it this way, at least we don’t have to shovel bull…”

“Doctor, let’s go enjoy some of that tuitti fruitti bubble bath. We can make things right with the TARDIS tomorrow.” She laced her fingers with his and led him away.

“All right, but it’s my turn to play with the pirate ducky.”


	36. Time Lords Have No Taste

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty fluffy chapt. Introduction to the next task and lots of wedding preparation with Fraunk and Jackie. Warning: Some profanity in this chapt

Rose awakened to the warm glow of the sun as it shined golden light through the stained glass window in their bedroom. The Doctor was still curled up asleep beside her, one arm thrown around her waist. She blinked sleepily a few times and yawned. She could still smell the residue of tuitti fruitti tonga bubble bath clinging to their skin. She smiled and snuggled back closer to him. She felt his arm tighten around her, and he nuzzled her neck.

“Morning,” he whispered into her ear. “You’re up early.”

“Yeah, guess I’m just relaxed from spending so much time at home.”

“Well, I think the TARDIS is just about done pouting so it shouldn’t be too terribly long before we’re off again. Besides, we have another task ahead of us,” he mumbled in a sleep-filled voice.

Rose groaned and rolled over and propped up her face on her hand faced the Doctor. “So, what’s next and how long do we got?”

“Time isn’t as much an issue now that we have our frankly magnificent time ship even if she is a little miffed with us," he answered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I think she’s finally ready for our first trip into the vortex which is quite timely, considering our next task.

"This one is based on Hercules' eighth labor which was to steal the Mares of Diomedes and deliver them to King Eurystheus."

"Great, more farm animals," Rose groaned.

"Oh no, these were no normal horses," the Doctor assured her. "They were wild and carnivorous. There were four of them named Podagros, the fast, Lampon the shining, Xanthos the blond and Deinos the terrible."

"How comforting," Rose sarcastically responded and thumped her head into the pillow. 

"They belonged to King Diomedes who was a giant and allegedly the son of Ares, the war god," the Doctor continued ignoring her quip. "The legends says that Diomedes was as savage as his mares which were uncontrollable and were tethered by chains to a bronze manger. The only thing that could calm them was human flesh which Diomedes had been feeding them." Rose wrinkled he nose at that part.

"There’s lots of controversy how Herc accomplished this task, but one story is that he captured Diomedes and fed him to his mares which calmed them so he could take them back to Eurystheus who dedicated them to Hera.”

Rose sat up and stared at him. “That’s horrible! Oh, Doctor, please tell me we’re not having to capture man-eating horses and feed them, uh, I can‘t even say it.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

He fidgeted and looked up at her. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but capturing carnivorous horses is part of what we have to do. I‘m hoping to avoid having to feed them anything that even resembles a living creature,” he said, capturing her hand and squeezing it.

Rose stared at him in disbelief. “Man-eating horses. Course, shoulda figured on that I guess. The Eternals said the tasks would get more difficult. We’ve been through so much already,” she said softly, looking down at their joined hands. The Doctor sat up and scooted close to her and put his arm around her and pulled her tight to him.

“It’s going to be all right. I’ll keep both of us safe.”

She looked him in the eye. “Doctor, maybe you missed it due to all the injuries, but that hasn’t been working out so well lately.”

“Yes, well, now that we have the TARDIS, things will get better.”

Rose just stared at him. “Last time with the bull...”

“Rose,” he interrupted her. “That was our first time out and I may have been a bit over confident. That won’t happen again. Our next task is complicated and I won’t be so cavalier and I’m not letting you out of my sight." He kissed her on the cheek. 

"Now then, let’s talk about what we have to do. First, this task takes place in April of 1864 in the American wild west. Specifically, we’re going to Dodge City, Kansas. The slight complication to this time period is that tensions between the settlers and the Native American population is a high. This settlement is in Cherokee territory and in 1865, there‘ll be war with the native population. Our task is to retrieve a set of four rather unique horses and deliver them to a reclusive tribe of Cherokees. This must be completed before the celebration of the Flower Moon.”

“Is that doable? I mean, how are we even gonna find these horses? Do we know what they look like?”

“Well, they look like regular horses except for their rather unusual propensity for eating people. I mean, really, Rose, they’re carnivorous horses. I’m sure there’s bound to be some kind of legends or myths about them. Shouldn’t be too hard to find horses that have a history of eating people. Speaking of eating, I’m starving. Don’t suppose I could talk you into breakfast?” he asked her, with a hopeful look.

“Talking about man-eating horses makes you hungry?” Rose asked with a incredulous look on her face. He just pouted his lips and tilted his head. “Oh, all right, I’ll be back with tea,” she finally agreed. She rolled out of bed and walked off to get dressed.

The Doctor smiled and hopped out of bed and walked over to the wall where the Eternal parchments were displayed in a haphazard manner. He knew Rose wouldn’t be happy about this task but felt confident he could convince her it would be all right. One thing he knew for sure, this was not the most difficult task they would have to complete. Things would get far more complicated when they reached the final task.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

As they sat in the reading nook of their bedroom enjoying tea, toast with the Doctor’s favorite jam and plums from the garden, the Doctor began telling Rose more about their task.

“So, we don’t know where the horses are, but once we arrive, we’ll blend in with the locals and use our natural charm and brilliant investigative skills to find out the local mythology,” he told Rose, as he crammed some jam laden toast in his mouth.

“We just mosey into town and chat with the locals and find the terrifying horses. Well, at least I get to see you in jeans and a Stetson again,” she said with a grin.

“What, again?” He pouted.

“Yep, we gotta blend in and your suit doesn’t exactly work for horseback riding. Seems that’s how people got around in those days so I’m thinking we should be prepared for it.”

Before the Doctor could complain further, Rose’s mobile rang. “Hi, Mum! Oh, is that today? Well, yeah, sure we can. Sounds good. We’ll meet you there in a couple of hours. Love you.” Rose rang off and looked across to the to Doctor who had a cup of tea half way to his mouth and a worried expression on his face.

“Tell me you just didn’t promise Jackie we’d go off and meet her for lunch. The TARDIS is just about ready to let me back in and besides I have to get us ready for the trip,” he whined.

“Doctor, Mum needs us for some wedding stuff." He scrunched up his nose. 

"Oh, don‘t look at me like that! It’s not that bad and you‘ll like this,” Rose told him. “It’s a tasting.” He crossed his arms and sat back with a stubborn look on his face. She walked over and curled up next to him on the couch. “Please. I need you there. There‘ll be nibbles.”

“Didn’t we do this already, I mean we picked cake. What else is there?”

Rose giggled. “Doctor, there’s more to a wedding than cake. We have to feed the guests a meal before the cake. This tasting is all about picking out the food we want to have.”

He leaned back and looked up at her. “What exactly is Fraunk doing? Shouldn’t he just handle this?”

“Doctor, if we left it up to Fraunk and Mum, there’d be pears and stuff you don’t like,” Rose explained, knowing that the mere mention of the word “pears” would assure his cooperation.

He looked at Rose in horror. “Right, when do we need to be there and how long will this take?”

“In a couple hours and I’m not sure, depends on if we like any of the stuff Fraunk has picked out for us to try. I mean if we don‘t like it, could take a while.”

“Blimey, wedding planning takes more time than the entire wedding ceremony on Gangish IV and that takes almost one planetary cycle to complete,” he complained. The Doctor sighed. “Well, let’s get on with it. I suppose if we don’t, Jackie would probably just show up here with the mad wedding planner. What kind of nibbles did you say?”

A few hours later, the Doctor and Rose arrived at Irreverent Olive for the tasting. They were escorted back to a private dining room where they met Fraunk and Jackie.

“Wallcome to the bride and grome!” Fraunk greeted them, and kissed both on each cheek much to Rose’s amusement and the Doctor’s horror.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Jackie greeted Rose, with a hug and then turned to the Doctor with her hands on her hips. “And as for you, behave. Chef Olive is a five star Novo Cuisine chef and it‘s an honor that he agreed to cater the wedding. So, mind your gob.”

Fraunk swept over to prevent a Doctor/Jackie spat. “Mrs. Tyler and I were jost descossing the manyo.”

The Doctor immediately starting grinning and muttering, “The manyo? Is that some new type of Pete‘s world yo yo?”

Rose tried to stifle the giggles and knew she'd better get a grip on the situation. “Thanks, Fraunk. The Doctor and I are looking forward to seeing what you have for us to try today.”

“Oh, yes!” the Doctor exclaimed, and rubbed his hands together. “So, Fraunky, my friend, let’s pull out the nibbles and have a little nosh,” he said, with enthusiasm and winked at Rose. Jackie rolled her eyes and shook her head. Fraunk, ever the well-mannered gentlemen, pulled out the chairs for Jackie and Rose and snapped his fingers for the wait staff who practically glided into the room, their arms filled with trays topped with various gourmet selections.

“Now than, Let us began. Chef Ilove has propered several autumns. First, the lovely hoppatizers.”

“Hoppatizers? Are we hopping? Rose and I love the hopping! Don’t we, love?” the Doctor babbled, grinning and practically bouncing in his chair. Rose thumped his shoulder while trying not to smile and Jackie glared at him, muttering “just you wait” under her breath as she twisted her napkin.

Fraunk seemed oblivious and continued with his presentation. “Lot us stort with the Craub Pauffs and lamb laawly pops with a tetch of ment gelé,” Fraunk described, with elegant hand gestures and looked at them in anticipation. Jackie loved the crab puffs. The Doctor examined the lamb lollipops and the green mint jelly.

“That green jelly reminds me of something I once found in the Singing Swamps of….” the Doctor started to comment until Rose interrupted him.

“Doctor!”

“What? He wants to know what we think.”

Rose rolled her eyes and pushed her barely touched plate away. “Fraunk, I think we’re ready to try something else.”

Fraunk nodded, and more wait staff glided in with more platters. “Naxt, we have smoked saumon roses and, tarts of mousecapawn chaise with currants and a crauspy auspearagoose with asiago chaise rolled in filo,” Fraunk explained to them.

The Doctor snorted and whispered to Rose, “Mouse tarts and speared goose.” He nudged her shoulder while grinning like a mad man as the waiters set the plates in front of them.

“Oh, Rose, don’t they look posh!” Jackie exclaimed, admiring the elegant presentation. She began the tasting while Rose stared at the plates as if they were some new alien life form intent on world domination. Finally, the Doctor placed his hand on hers on the table.

“Rose, everything all right?”

Rose turned and looked him. “Yeah, fine. This just doesn‘t seem us.” She tried some of the different items but when she came to the smoke salmon rose she looked up at Fraunk. “Fraunk, I appreciate you goin to all this trouble but, no roses. Being it’s my name and all, it’s just a bit….”

“Fraunk understands.” He nodded and patted her shoulder.

At the same time, the Doctor bit into the crispy asparagus wrapped in asiago cheese and promptly spit it out. “That’s revolting!” he exclaimed, and looked at Fraunk with an expression of disgust. “That tastes like solidified Eloran mucus and I would know due to a most unfortunate incident involving subfreezing temperature combined with the Eloran equivalent of the common cold. We are not feeding that to anyone we like enough to invite to our wedding.” In another room, they heard a masculine voice shout out “bloody tasteless wanker!” and then footsteps and a door slam. Rose winced. Jackie glared at the Doctor. Fraunk sighed.

“Plays escuse Fraunk for a moment. Chef Ilove and his staff might be a bit…” Fraunk made a waving hand gesture. “He es a jaynus and we need his mahnd.” Frank flounced out of the room.

Before Jackie could say anything, Rose spoke up. “Mum, I don’t think this is gonna work.”

“What do you mean? Chef Olive is the best. Tell me you’re not gonna listen to the tasteless alien.”

“Mum!”

“Rose, he just admitted to eating alien bogies and it was only a couple of weeks ago I watched him lick some alien trash Jake brought over for him to look at. God knows where that tongue has been.”

The Doctor smirked and Rose blushed at this comment. Before the Doctor could open his mouth, Fraunk stepped in the room followed by a young man with short blond hair dressed in a navy pin stripe suit and white trainers. The Doctor stared at him and grinned. He stood up and walked over to the man who Fraunk introduced as Chef Olive.

“Chef Olive! I’m the Doctor and pleased to meet a man of obvious taste.”

Chef Olive looked the Doctor up and down and shook his hand with raised eyebrows. Rose stood and approached the men.

“Chef Ilove, may I presaunt the bride,” Fraunk said with a smile.

“Hello, nice to meet you. Um Chef Olive could we have a bit of a chat. I don’t want to waste your time or insult you, but all of this is a bit fussier than I was thinking. I was wondering if maybe you could help us with something a bit more…”

Chef Olive smiled at Rose. “Lemme guess, you lot want relatable food with a modern twist.”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Rose told him, grinning.

Chef Olive smiled brightly at her. “Follow me and we’ll whip up something together,” hesaid with an excited glint in his eye.

Rose grabbed the Doctor’s hand and they followed the chef back into the kitchen as if it was some great adventure on an alien planet. Jackie followed them with Fraunk mumbling about plans and how Rose had to fall in love with a tasteless alien nutter.

When they arrived in the kitchen, Chef Olive removed his coat and put on his white chef jacket. He slapped his hands together and asked them what they loved to eat together. Rose answered first.

“Chips!”

Chef Olive turned around on a white board and wrote out chips. The Doctor, with great excitement, shouted out “Curry” and turned to giggle with Rose. From that point forward, Fraunk and Jackie lost all control as Rose and the Doctor shouted out, “tea, jam, sushi, bananas, cheese, meat pies, Jaffa cakes, pad thai, burgers, bacon, figs and chocolate.”

Chef Olive turned to them and started writing down some ideas next to the list of food favorites. He wrote down: Crispy polenta chips with four cheeses, rosemary & sea salt; deconstructed spicy tuna roll; bacon wrapped almond stuffed figs; chicken empanada with chorizo, raisins, and olives; curry spiced lamb balls with curry aioli; cumin scented chicken with banana chutney; and a chip bar with a variety of sauces and toppings. Finally, Jackie shouted out a few things. Chef Olive looked to Rose who nodded her head so he wrote down pepper encrusted prime rib and pan seared swordfish steak with a sweet red pepper sauce along with a few suggested side items.

“So, will that work for you, love?” the chef asked Rose.

“It’s perfect!” She smiled and turned to the Doctor. “It all right with you, Doctor?”

“Oh, yes! Brilliant!”

“Look, why don’t you go have a nip of wine while we work up some samples?” Chef Olive suggested.

“That would be lovely. Thank you so much!” Rose said. She pulled the Doctor back out to the private room and settled in while a waiter poured each of them a glass of wine.

Fraunk’s assistant magically appeared with his portfolio and as Fraunk sipped wine, he discussed further wedding plans.

“My lovely bride and grome, wall Chef Ilove es propering his jaynus manyo, we must discuss the wadding favores.”

“Wadding favores?” the Doctor asked, looking at Rose for a translation.

Jackie shook her head. "Yes, you daft alien. At weddings you have mementos that the guests take home with ‘em.”

“Wait a minute. We have this big wedding party so people can come watch us get married at which we decorate, dress up, have dancing, cake, we feed them and we have to give them gifts!”

Rose kicked him under the table. “Doctor, it’s a traditional wedding thing to give people a little thank you gift for attending.” He looked at her as if it was something he couldn’t comprehend.

“Yas wall my dear assistant hass brought some ezamples for you to see.” Fraunk’s assistant brought out a silver heart wine stopper; personalized tea tin with their special blend; personalized wineglasses etched with hearts; white porcelain love birds; Swarovski crystal kissing swans; and personalized bottles of champagne.

Jackie was immediately taken with the wineglasses, heart wine stopper and swans. “Oh, Rose! They’re lovely! Maybe we should choose more than one. What do you think?”

“Well, I don’t…”

The Doctor interrupted her. “Swans! Do you know how evil swans are! That legend of Zeus disguising himself as a swan so he could shag the young maiden was just the start. I‘m telling you, that pretty swan is hiding something evil inside. Oh, and how can you even think about anything bird related after the whole mutant bird attack!”

Jackie just stared at him as she held up the crystal swans. She looked at the swans and appeared to contemplate throwing the pretty crystal figurine at him. That is, until Fraunk intervened.

“The Grome thanks the swans are aveil? Well, the swans are known for feedollity and love. The Swans mate for life. Fraunk hass not hurt of the aveil swan, but understands the grome’s concern of the bards. Porhops, the grome would prefar something modern?”

During this conversation, Rose had finished her wine in one gulp and one of the helpful wait staff was refilling it for her. Finally, she cleared her throat. The Doctor started muttering. “I’ll introduce you to the real Bard.”

“Please, no bards, I mean birds. No birds. I think the personalized tea tin will do nicely,” Rose pleaded.

“But Rose, it’s so simple. What about personalized champagne?” Jackie asked, sounding disappointed.

“Might as well make it Vitex. Pete’d love that,” the Doctor muttered, sipping his wine and swirling it around in his mouth.

“Don’t be stupid. That would be tacky,” Jackie admonished.

Rose sighed. “Fine, yes, whatever, the tea tins and the personalized wine.”

“Fabolous!” Fraunk exclaimed. “Now, whot doss the bride and grome thank about the signature cocktowel?”

The Doctor who had taken another sip of wine, burst out laughing and spit his wine out. Jackie looked like she was going to walk over and slap him. Rose leaned over with a napkin and asked him if he was okay.

“Oh, yes! I’m fine, just thinking about the cocktowels,” he told Rose with a huge grin as he blotted the wine off his suit.

“May I introdoiss, mouster mixowlisgist, Terrence,” Fraunk said to them, and clapped his hands. Terrence was a tall, handsome, dark complexioned man with short cropped back hair dressed all in black. He had a brilliant white smile and wheeled in a cart filled with an assortment of liquors.

“Now than, my bride and grome, talk to Terrence. Wot do you thank, sweat, sour, sauvory?”

Rose could tell the Doctor was itching to crack a joke so she decided to take the lead. “Well, perhaps something that isn’t too strong. Maybe a bit fruity?”

“Like Fraunk,” the Doctor whispered to her. Rose covered her face with her hand as she found herself grinning. Terrence asked Rose if she preferred any particular fruit. The Doctor of course stepped in at this point.

“Yes Terrence, of course the preferred fruit is banana. But, I was thinking, why stop at one cocktowel!” The Doctor turned and winked at Rose who was starting to laugh.

“Doctor, it’s a signature cocktail that represents the wedding. It’s not about getting everyone sloshed,” Jackie snipped, now quite irritated.

“Yes, well, Jackie, there’s two of us getting married so there should be two cocktails and besides, you got two wedding favors so I should get two cocktails.” The Doctor crossed his arms with a stubborn look on his face.

“Mum, leave him be. If he wants two fancy cocktails then that’s what we’re doing. So, Doctor, what were ya thinking?”

“Right, something banana and something blue,” he told them, with a big smile.

Terrence grinned. “Why don’t I make you some samples and you can tell me what you like?”

“Molto Bene!” the Doctor answered.

The first set of cocktails were a Fuzzy Banana, a Banarama and a Screwed Banana. The Doctor was ecstatic. “Oh, Terrence, I like you!”

After everyone had tasted the drinks, there was a debate.

“Rose, you can’t serve something called a Screwed Banana. What would people think!” Jackie stated after gulping down all three drinks.

“They’d think what incredibly good taste the Doctor and Rose have by serving such a supremely delicious cocktail,” the Doctor answered.

Rose grinned. “Well, I like the Bananarama best,” Rose told everyone.

“Bananarama it is!” the Doctor shouted out. “Now then,” he told Terrence, rubbing his hands together, “on to the blue cocktail.”

“Dahling Terrence, the bride and grome half chausen colors of sapphire blau and silver for the wadding so a deep blau cocktowel would be fabolous,” Fraunk said.

“Would you like to try a blue margarita?” Terrence asked them.

Rose and Jackie nodded enthusiastically. The margaritas were passed around and the Doctor made it known to all that he detested it despite Jackie‘s proclamation that it was "delish." Next, was a something called a blue lagoon which had lemonade mixed in it along with the blue liqueur. The Doctor hated that one so much he was spewing blue into his napkin and trying to wipe his tongue off. Jackie snatched the rest of his drink and finished it apologizing to Terrence for her future son-in-laws lack of taste.

“Look, Terrence, mind if you and I work together on this?” Terrence nodded and invited the Doctor to work with him. While the Doctor and Terrence proceeded to measure ingredients and discuss the merits of shaken versus stirred, some of Chef Olive’s creations arrived for tasting. Rose and Jackie started the tasting while the Doctor was occupied.”

“Oh, Doctor! You have to taste these figs and the lamb balls with the curry stuff is amazing!” Rose told him with a look of ecstasy on her face.

The Doctor looked up and grinned as he pulled his sonic out and zapped one of the blue concoctions which he held up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the TARDIS Twist created especially for you by myself and my new friend, Terrence.” The Doctor proceeded to pass around glasses filled with the TARDIS blue cocktail which was made with a splash of pineapple and other ingredients the Doctor would not divulge.

Jackie looked at it suspiciously and took a sip. “It’s good, I mean it’s really good,” she told them, shocked that she liked something the Doctor concocted.

“Of course it’s good. I wouldn’t serve a rubbish drink at our wedding. Now then, let’s taste some of this scrumptious food,” the Doctor announced and proceeded to dig into some of the samples.

At the end of the tasting, Jackie was telling everyone she loved them, even the Doctor. It was quite clear that she was incapable of walking much less driving and Rose very discretely called Pete to come take her home.

“Chef Olive, thank you so much for everything. I really appreciate you putting this together for us like this.” Rose told him. Chef Olive nodded, shook her hand and retreated back to the kitchen.

It wasn’t long before Pete arrived to take Jackie home and Fraunk was finalizing the details regarding the menu and cocktails. Jackie stumbled over and threw her arms around the Doctor. “You’re the best alien-in-law a woman could ever ask for!” she told the Doctor, as she wobbled in his arms. She planted a sloppy kiss on his mouth and stumbled to Pete giggling. Pete looked up quietly laughing at the Doctor who was wiping his mouth off on his sleeve. He nodded as he guided a giggling Jackie out the door.

Rose walked up and grinned at him. “See, she really does love you.“ He just stared at her and mumbled, “Yeah, maybe she should love me a little less.“ As they were walking out the door, the Doctor stopped and turned to Fraunk.

“Fraunk, what about the chocolate fountain?”

“Ahhh, yas, Fraunk has token car of everything. The grome‘s chaucolate fauntín will be fabolous.”

“Come on, Doctor, I’m sure Fraunk will make sure everything’s perfect. Besides, it’s getting late and we should really get home. Remember, we have our special project tomorrow.”

“I suppose. Oh, I could make it a sonic chocolate fountain!” the Doctor suggested excitedly as they walked to their car.


	37. Where The Buffalo Roam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next task begins. It's set in Dodge City, KS (well the area that will become Dodge City) in the American Wild West - 1864. This is at the end of the American Civil War and during a time when many pioneers were heading west. This is AU (Pete's World) so I may have things there that wouldn't be invented on Earth proper during this same time. The villain in this does something pretty vile and will do worse things next chapt so you have been warned.

The TARDIS materialized on a prairie near Dodge City. The only witnesses to its arrival were a few prairie dogs peeping out of their burrows and scampering back down as the door swung open and a jean clad Doctor with his button up white shirt, a brown vest, his long brown coat and Stetson clad head bounded out. The Doctor inhaled deeply as he spun around and turned to face Rose standing in the doorway.

"Dodge City, April 15, 1864! Smell that clean, crisp unpolluted air!" He held his arms out wide and tipped his head upward.

Rose slowly made her way out shutting the door behind her. She stared at the Doctor as the cool wind blew across the prairie and the grass moved in wave like a green, grassy alien sea. Rose wore jeans, brown boots, a button down dark blue blouse, a blue bandana and with a hip length brown leather coat. She wore her hair in two braids and had her own Stetson. She walked up to him smiling and took his hand as they stared out over the prairie.

"Dodge City was a pivotal location in the American Wild West. The Santa Fe Trail was a main commercial route between Franklin, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico, until 1880," the Doctor lectured. "Thousands of wagons traveled the Mountain Branch of the trail which went west from Dodge City along the north bank of the Arkansas River into Colorado. Can you imagine Rose? Thousands of wagons!" he said excitedly.

"Did you spend much time in the American old west then?" Rose asked, curious to learn more about his past.

"Oh a bit here and there. Course, new universe so everything will be new to these eyes," he told her, and squeezed her hand. She grinned back at him.

"So, which way to town?" she asked.

"Should be to the east of us. Come on, let's track down these gruesome equine!" Grinning with excitement, he pulled her toward town.

As the Doctor and Rose walked across the prairie, little did they know that they were being observed by a group of five Indians on horseback on a ridge not far away. These Cherokees were not part of the local tribe, They were part of an old Cherokee myth about five spirits: a medicine man, a chieftain and three warriors who were protectors against unnatural forces. They were dressed in traditional leather with feathers tied into their hair. The Medicine man was older than the others with mostly gray hair and wore a small leather bag which was tied to his waste and a necklace made of bones, beads and feathers. All five of them wore a serious expression on their face and if one had looked deeply into their brown eyes, they would have seen a timeless, wisdom and understanding of the world that few could comprehend.

After walking for a little over an hour, the Doctor and Rose crested a hill and found a small town which would one day become Dodge City. The city consisted of some weathered, wooden plank structures, shacks and tents. The dusty, dirt road which was the main thoroughfare through the city was filled with settlers. Rose was always curious about local fashion and if she and the Doctor would fit in.

Men wore denim, braces and button down shirts and few dressed in leather hides. She stood out from most of the women who were in long full skirts and dresses covering them from neck to ankles. The fashion of the day seemed to favor browns, grays and white mixed with a few touches of color paired with boots, shawls and long coats. A few Calvary soldiers mixed among them dressed in uniforms. And she was excited to see a few native Americans dressed in a mix of clothing from that like the settlers to traditional native American garb. Horses were tethered outside of some of the buildings or being ridden through town as well as some cattle being driven through town. A stage coach was just exiting as the Doctor and Rose approached .

The Doctor adjusted his hat, grabbed her hand. "Might be a good idea to start at the general store. It was the center of the community since everyone has to go there eventually. And we can see about horses and information. "

They passed stores, saloons, a bank, a barber shop, a feed store and a boarding house. Rose noticed a few people directed speculative looks their way. Horses passed dangerously close to them and the scent of animals and unwashed people mixed with smoke and refuse filled the air. Soon, the Doctor was pulling her up some wooden steps and through some doors into the general store.

The store was filled with basic dry goods, fabrics, leather goods, boots, bottles of various liquids, jams and honey along with cases with guns and knives. Behind a counter, a middle aged, balding, rotund clerk looked up at them. The Doctor grinned and made his way over to the counter.

"Hello! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. We're looking for some information and perhaps you could help us," the said with a charming grin.

"What makes you think I can help you? What did you say your name is again?" the clerk asked, looking at them suspiciously.

"Doctor, maybe you should show the nice gentlemen your identification," Rose said, while smiling at the clerk.

"Oh, yes let's see where is my wallet?" he said, as he patted around his pockets. "Oh yes! Here it is." He reached in his pocket and several people seemed to reach for their guns at the same time. The Doctor hesitated. "Easy now! I'm just pulling out my papers to show this charming clerk who I am." He slowly pulled out his wallet and opened it to show the clerk the psychic paper. The clerk leaned over and then looked up.

"This here says your agents of the railway. Why didn't you say so, Doc! What can I help you and the missus with?" This seemed to calm the people in the store and they went back to their business although seemed to be listening in for gossip.

"Yes well, Rose and I need to open an account and pick up some supplies. We'll need some horses as well since we'll be surveying the area."

"Well, you come to the right place. I'd be happy to set you up. My name's Robert Wright. Just sign right here, Doctor Smith and you'll be set," Robert said jovially. The Doctor scratched a virtually unreadable name and handed the fountain pen back to Robert.

"Thank you Robert. Now then, we'll need some supplies while we're in the wild. Could you get us started?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes Sir!" Robert happily responded, and rushed off to start putting together their supplies. After Robert left, an unshaven man wandered over dressed in distressed and dusty clothing.

"So, you folks here for the railroad are ya?" he asked, and spit into a spittoon by Rose's side. She looked down and wrinkled her nose.

"Yep, sure are!" the Doctor answered, with a smile. "You live around here or are you just passing through?" the Doctor asked him.

"The name's Whip, I work the O'Malley's Ranch west of town. You folks be careful out there. This here's a dangerous land for city folk. Lots can happen out there to a dandy and his pretty missus."

"Really, such as?" the Doctor asked, probing for information.

"Injuns. Not that friendly to white folk lately. Been several raids on the surrounding ranches. Cavalry's just arrived to help finish up Fort Dodge just North of here. They just started rounding up the troublemakers which is sure to stir 'em up a bit, if you know what I mean," he told them, and spit again.

"Oh yes, Rose and I have been cautioned. We've heard all sorts of stories about this area. Although, I must say, I'm a bit curious about one story we heard. There's this legend about man-eating horses. Don't suppose you've heard anything about this?" the Doctor asked him.

"Man eatin' horses huh? Sounds like someuns been at the whiskey," he said. He focused on Rose his gaze lingering on her chest.

"Huh. Well sounded a bit like someone was having us on. Anything else we should worry about?" the Doctor asked oblivious to how Rose shifted closer to his side.

"Like I said, Injuns and the like. You just watch your step out there. Folks around here are protective of their land and they don't like nobody snoopin' around. You and the pretty lady might find yourself with gullet full of metal if you ain't careful." He shifted and his coat revealed a gun slung over his hip. "I best be headin' out now. Doctor, Maam." He tipped his hat and brushed by the Doctor.

"What was that all about?" Rose whispered.

"He's lying," the Doctor answered in a hard voice. "His eyes dilated and he swallowed hard when I mentioned the horses. He knows something. Might be worth looking into this O'Malley's ranch." Rose and the Doctor walked around the store looking at the different items while Mr. Wright worked on their order. The Doctor was quite excited when he found a 19th century yo yo.

"Rose, we have got to have this! Look at it!" the Doctor said bouncing on the balls of his feet. Rose just smiled. He would get so much joy out of the simplest things and she suspected this was just a new addition to the miscellaneous bric-a-brac for the TARDIS which he missed from his old TARDIS.

"Oooo and look at this! A scope! We have to have this!" Before they were done, they had also picked up some chewing gum and hard candies. While the Doctor was handling everything with Robert, Rose was approached by a middle aged woman with brown hair arranged in a bun and wearing a gingham print brown and white dress.

"So, you and your husband are here to make a survey for the railroad?" the woman asked, looking Rose up and down. "My name's Maddie and my husband runs the livery. Don't see many women dressed like that. You might want to be careful. People might get the wrong idea, seein' a lady dressed so man-like, specially a Doctor's wife. Might have something more appropriate for woman at Molly Sue's shop down yonder. She's a seamstress but has some fine dresses for sale as well."

"Oh, well thank you Maddie, but we're gonna be on horse back and camping so I'm thinking it might be better if I'm dressed like this. If we spend some time in town, I'll be sure to visit Molly Sue's. My name's Rose by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Rose. You just be careful. Lots of men folk don't like women dressed that way. It's dangerous place for a woman in the wild."

"Yeah, we realize that. We've heard lots of stories and want to be prepared. So tell me Maddie, is it true that there are man-eating horses in the wild?"

Maddie stared at her for a long time. "Where'd you hear that? I mean certainly injuns are about and you as a woman should take that mighty serious. Those savages will do terrible things to ya so you make sure your man is well armed."

"Oh, well we heard lots of stories on our way here. Don't worry Maddie, I know the Doctor will keep me safe. I mean we knew about the Indians but the horses sound scary. We've never seen a horse like that before."

"Well, there's a story but I think it's from the savages trying to scare us. I've heard the men folk talking about these horses that roamed the prairie and attacked settlers. Nothing's happened lately which they say is cause Rev. Carter came and blessed us. Course others say that some of the men got together and caught 'em and set 'em after the savages. Then again, could be the whiskey talking. Your man isn't one for the whiskey is he?"

"The Doctor, oh not so much. He prefers tea. We both do really. Well, thanks for making me feel better. I'll be sure to tell the Doctor not worry about the horses. If we're back in town, maybe we can meet for tea?"

"That'd be nice Rose. You take care now."

Maddie walked out and immediately several women grouped around her as she walked down the street. The Doctor walked up to Rose smiling.

"Ready, Sweetheart" he asked her, with a cheeky smile and took her hand in his. They walked down to the stables where they met Maddie's husband, Tom. They were given two horses, Daisy and Spitfire. Daisy was a brown colored mare with golden mane and Spitfire was black with white feet and a white mark on his head.

"So, you folks need any further help?" Tom asked, as he looked at both of them skeptically.

"Oh, well if you could tell us where the O'Malley ranch is that would be most helpful," the Doctor asked.

"O'Malley? He frowned. "You want to stay away from there. He don't like strangers and he's not one to be happy about the rail heading our way. His ranch is west of here past a huge rock formation called Pawnee Rock. You'd do well to avoid him." He walked them out past his corral. "Also, the old Tate place which is West of O'Malley's. He married some old Indian woman whose a witch." His eyes widened and he nervously looked around. 

"And mind the hills as well. An Indian party was seen hunting some buffalo in those parts. It'd be a pity for your pretty wife to get taken by those savages. They don't treat white women kindly. You sure you don't want to leave your missus in town? The wild's no place for a gentile lady."

"Ohhh don't worry about us," the Doctor assured. "We'll be fine. Rose is tougher than she looks and we've faced worse than some cranky old rancher or primitive cultures. Thanks for the offer though. We'll be back with the horses in a week or so," the Doctor told him, as he mounted Spitfire. Tom helped Rose mount Daisy and they headed off toward the O'Malley ranch.

"So, what did you learn in the store?" the Doctor asked Rose.

Rose smiled. "What makes you think I learned anything?" she teased him.

"Rose Tyler, it is impossible for you not to make a friend or get the gossip from the locals no matter where we go so, what did you find out?" he asked, as he leaned over and tipped up her hat so he could see her face. She grinned at him.

"Well you were right. There is a story about the man-eating horses and Maddie says some of the men got together and caught them but she doesn't know for sure."

"Brilliant. I think our first stop is this unpleasant O'Malley fellow." They rode on talking quietly and laughing. Just past Pawnee Rock, a group of riders approached them. One of the men, a dirty, scruffy tanned man wearing a worn brown hat and leather vest rode in front of them holding a shot gun at his side.

"We've heard about you strangers from the rail. Mr. O'Malley don't want your kind here. You head back now and tell your bosses to find a new way for the rail and no one gets hurt."

"Sorry, but that's not gonna happen," the Doctor answered, eyes narrowing on the armed man. "Perhaps Mr. O'Malley and I could have a chat and work out a compromise."

The men laughed at him. "Looky here boys. We got a fancy talker." The leader spit and faced the Doctor. "See here mister, we don't care for fancy talk. You turn your fancy pants around or we're gonna have to get familiar with the missus. She's a purdy little thing isn't she boys!" There was whooping and agreement among them. The Doctor tried to quietly reach for his sonic when he heard a gun cock. "Just try it mister. Wouldn't mean anything to me to shoot you dead. Might upset the lady though."

"Doctor, please," Rose warned.

The ground started to shake and the cow hands started looking around nervously. One of them shouted out "Stampede!" They took off in the opposite direction.

"Doctor, what do we do?" Rose asked, looking around. Suddenly a dust cloud could be seen to their right and the rumbling noise increased.

"We've got to move now! Follow me!" the Doctor shouted, as he kicked his horse and took off. Rose nudged her horse and followed behind him. They raced across the grassland toward a rock outcropping with some trees. Faster and faster they rode but the herd, which turned out to be buffalo, quickly gained on them.

The Doctor's horse sprinted ahead while Rose's mare lagged behind. Rose ducked down and kicked the horse screaming at her to go faster. The first buffalo raced by her and she was amazed and terrified by how big it was. Her horse may have been taller but the buffalo was bulkier and far outweighed her horse.

It wasn't long before they were all around her and the massive herd was not far behind the buffalo that was racing by her. She could almost hear their breaths and snorts as they raced on by. Tears were streaming down her face and she was breathing almost as hard as her mare whose eyes were wild with fear. Rose felt that she was losing control and tried to get a better grip on the reins and guide the mare toward the rocks. The Doctor reached the rocks, turned back and watched in horror as the buffalo surrounded Rose. One stumble and Rose would be trampled.

By a miracle, the buffalo turned and stampeded in a different direction. Rose reached the rock breathing heavy and practically fell off her horse into the Doctor's arms.

"Rose! Are you all right? Don't do that to me again," he whispered,, hear slamming in his chest as he peppered her face with kisses and pulled her tight into his arms. Sweat beaded his face as the fear ebbed. He mumbled comforting words into her neck, enjoying the warmth and life of her against him. 

Rose clung to him just as tight. When he let her go she was only trembling slightly. She looked up at him. "Doctor, that, that was a stampede." She paused and caught her breath and looked up at him and grinned. "We were in a stampede!" They both then started laughing hysterically. He turned to her with an infectious grin.

"My first stampede! Course, you had to go wander off and get up close and personal with the buffalo," he teased, and tugged at her hat.

"Scuse me, but that was not wandering off," she retorted, adrenalin still causing her voice to shake slightly. "That was my horse not keeping up. She hasn't learned what it means to run with the Doctor" Rose smiled nervously before catching her breath and pressing a hand to her stomach. "So, we gonna rest here for the night?"

"Could do. The sun is starting to set. Guess we can head up to meet this cranky O'Malley fellow in the morning. Although, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe you should stay here while I meet him," the Doctor mentioned, as he grabbed the horses reins to tie them up for the night.

"I don't think so!" Rose tartly responded. "Did you see those blokes' guns? They were ready to kill you. You are not going alone," Rose told him emphatically, as she pulled some blankets off her horse.

The Doctor sighed and watched her make camp. He knew Rose would insist but after watching her in the stampede and after the men with guns...he wasn't sure he was as keen for them to do this together. He mused that maybe it was the overprotective human male in him. But fear of losing her was playing big part as well.

"They threatened you, Rose. I can't risk you getting hurt and besides, who'll come to the rescue if we're both shot." He tried to reason with her. And he wasn't a hundred percent joking either. His Time Lord self put the chance of being shot around fifty-three point nine two four percent.

"Well that just fills me with confidence," she muttered. She plopped down their sack of supplies. She turned to him prepared to do battle. And then her breath caught as she saw him standing on a rock with the sun setting in the background filling the sky with pinks and golds. The sight of his lean figure in his well fitted jeans, coat billowing around him in the breeze, Stetson tipped to the side on his head and his face with a slight stubble gave her naughty thoughts. Maybe it was the fresh air but she had very lascivious ideas of just what they would be doing under the starlit sky tonight. She may have moaned just slightly before he snapped her out of her lusty musings.

"Rose, were you listening to me?" he asked, as he walked over to her.

"Yeah, sure, its dangerous and you wanna protect me."

"No, I asked you if you minded jerky and tinned beans tonight?"

She giggled over her lapse and walked over to snog him. When she pulled away she told him jerky and beans sounded delicious. That night, they snuggled beneath several blankets and stared up at the chilly star filled sky. Rose was happy to be there with the Doctor, but there was a niggling worry in the back of her mind. Try as she could, she couldn't figure out why or what specifically was bothering her.

The next morning they rode back toward O'Malley's ranch and ran into Dr. Felix Mueller. Dr. Mueller was the local physician. A sturdy, tall man with graying hair, he was on his way to treat one of the ranch hands who had broken his arm. He invited the Doctor and Rose to accompany him, escorting them up to the main house past some of the ranch hands who had threatened them the previous day. The Doctor and Rose thanked Dr. Mueller and knocked at the front door. A young Indian boy dressed in typical settler clothing opened the door and stared up at them.

"Hello there young man. I'm the Doctor and this is Rose and we would like a moment of Mr. O'Malley's time. Could you let him know we're here?" the Doctor asked. 

The boy stepped aside and led them into a sitting room which was quite bare and plain. The walls were yellowing and the planked wooden floor was grungy. The only furniture in the room was a sofa, two chairs and a side table with an oil lamp. There was a wood burning stove in one corner and a black and white cow hide rug thrown carelessly across the floor. The house was dark, stuffy and smelled of age and decay, Rose wrapped her arms around herself and her feeling of unease from the night before returned and intensified.

A well tanned, tall, elderly man with shoulder length white hair dressed all in black with black riding boots and a silver cane appeared. He had one blue eye and one milky eye which Rose assumed meant he was blind. His wrinkled face was set in a frown.

"How dare you trespass not only at my ranch but in my house!" he snarled at them.

"Ah, Mr. O'Malley I presume? I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. We had a bit of an unfortunate run in with some of your ranch hands yesterday. I understand you're a bit unhappy with the railway. Perhaps we could work something out. Rose and I certainly mean you no harm."

"Get off my land," O'Malley ordered.

"Right, maybe I didn't make myself clear. There's no need for ugliness. We mean you no harm."

"You and your blonde pet will leave now or I'll have you hauled off and thrown out with the manure! I won't put up with trespassers. This is my place and I like my privacy. You go back and tell anyone else who has ideas of coming out here that trespassers will be shot on sight."

"I see. Well, sorry we bothered you." The Doctor nodded, no longer smiling. "We'll just continue our survey then." The Doctor took Rose's hand and walked by O'Malley. Rose looked up at him as they were passing and saw not an elderly rancher but something else, something decidedly not human. She stared him in the eye and he stared at her and a slight evil smile touched his face. Rose immediately turned away and tried to push the Doctor to walk faster.

They quickly left and mounted their horses and rode out the way they came. The wind picked up and dark clouds rolled across the sky as they slowly rode away.

"I don't think he's human and he's hiding something," the Doctor said as he scanned the land around them clearly anticipating trouble.

"I think you're right. Doctor. I think I saw something when we went by him. It was like something flickered and I saw him but he wasn't human."

"What do you mean?" he asked, worried that he had missed some important detail.

"I dunno. I can't describe it. Maybe it was more a bad feeling. I didn't like the way he looked at me. There's something not right with that bloke or alien or whatever. Makes my skin crawl," she answered him, shaking her head with a distressed look on her face.

The Doctor nudged his horse close to hers and reached over and caressed her face. "We'll figure this out together. We have an advantage over him. There's two of us and we know he's up to something and well, we're brilliant." He smiled and winked at her.

"So, he's not human and we don't know what he is but we're going to find out," the Doctor reiterated. "He doesn't belong here and he's hiding something. That's concerning enough but now he's giving my Rose some weird feeling of skin crawling. I mean that's just crazy. Your skin doesn't crawl unless, of course, you're a Nigen, then it's perfectly normal."

Rose smiled at his babble. Sometimes the alien in him appeared at the right moment and spouted some bizarre fact that should be scary in itself but happens to put things in perspective and not make things look so bad. Just as she was about to make comment, thunder rumbled and a few icy drops of rain splashed from the sky.

"I think we'd better find some shelter before we get soaked and chilled. It's a little too nippy out to get drenched," the Doctor suggested, and nudged his horse forward toward some trees. Just as they reached the shelter, lightning flashed striking a nearby tree. Rose's horse reared and bolted. A wave of rain swept across the land dousing both of them. The Doctor rode after Rose through the driving rain but her horse had bolted into some trees and with the pounding rain, he lost sight of her. He continued on shouting out her name and focused his mind to try and find her psychic signature.

As the Doctor looked for Rose, her horse dashed through the woods in terror. Rose was not only pelted by the rain but was being battered by branches as her horse plunged through the trees. She winced and tried to duck against the stinging sensation but was afraid to let go of the rains. This continued until another bolt of lightning cracked through the sky frightening Rose's horse even more. The horse started and reared up slight before she witched directions and ran into some bushes. She reared again, highter this time and Rose lost her grip tumbling onto the rocky ground. 

Shivering from the cold rain and in pain from her fall, it took her several minutes to sit up and assess where she was. When she did, she saw the horse was struggling to escape the dense shrubbery. She heard a clicking noise behind her and found a group of ranch hands. Mr. O'Malley stood off to the side staring staring down at her.

"Well, look what we have here. Looks like someone lost his blonde pet." O'Malley's voice was cold. "And on my land. If it's on my land, it's my property." He pulled out a sword, Rose tried to scoot away as he strode forward. He passed her and thrust his blade into the Rose's horse. The horse screamed and struggled before falling to the ground in a bloody puddle. Rose's breath panted. Her limbs were numb from the icy rain and terror. She knew she needed to move.

"Why?" she cried out staring in horror as he pulled his bloody sword out of the horse's body. He took the tip of his sword still dripping the horses blood and laid the point on her neck beneath her chin and nudged her head up.

"My land, my property. You don't even belong here among these primitives. You're different and I'm going to find out why." He looked over at one of the men and nodded his head. One of the men approached Daisy's body and pulled out a large knife and proceeded to cut into Daisy. 

Bile choked Rose as the scent of blood made her want to vomit. The Doctor - she needed him. But she needed to get her emotions under control to use telepathy. Blood splashed her face as they dismembered her horse. She fisted her hands trying to see what was happening. 

A burly ranch hand walked over and picked her up and swung her over his shoulder. "No!" she cried out but not before she reached into her pocket and dropped one of the Doctor's blue marbles she'd been carrying. As she was carried away, pain sliced up her leg which she was sure was broken. There was no way she could fight her way out of this one. She closed her eyes and focused on one thought as they carried her away. "Doctor, find me. Please hurry."


	38. The Raging Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Slight torture. Rose is beaten. 
> 
> Rose was separated from the Doctor and captured by the villainous Mr. O’Malley who killed her horse. This chapter picks up with the Doctor on his way to find her. This chapter refers to some native American mythology - Asagaya Gigaei who was a spirit of thunderstorms. Nun'Yunu'Wi - an evil spirit/monster. The Two Wolves is an old Cherokee legend which I found very appropriate for The Doctor. I have taken some liberties with some of this mythology. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Nope, none of it’s mine, not the Star Trek reference, Native American Legends or Doctor Who, well, except maybe evil O’Malley not that I want him mind you. All Who related stuff belongs to BBC et al

The rain pounded down on the Doctor like icy shards slowing his progress in his search for Rose. He continued to concentrate in an attempt to get a glimpse of her telepathic signature or her emotions. Finally after several minutes of tapping down his own panic, he grasped her fear. 

"Rose," he gasped, ignoring the lightening cracking across the sky.

Teeth clenched and fingers wrapped tight around the reigns, he narrowed his mind in on her. But it was like swimming through molasses. He couldn't seem to break through the thick wall of her distress to communicate with her consciousness directly. 

He nudged his horse forward as he zeroed in on the direction he felt her. It was almost a physical jolt as fear turned to utter terror and then one desperate thought smacked into him as if he hit a wall: “Doctor, find me.” His own terror began filtering in and clouding his focus. The rain turned to sleet and pelted him with stinging icy pellets which began to numb his hands which were tightly gripping the reins. His heart pounded in his chest as he kept pushing his horse forward.

The rain and sleet eased up to a drizzle by the time he reached the gruesome scene. Before him, was a dismembered and bloody horse carcass, the remains of Daisy. He hurtled his numb body from his horse and walked over and looked around calling out for Rose. He could still feel her terror but knew she wasn’t nearby. He knelt down and picked up her sodden Stetson and next to it he found a blue marble. He stood up and stared down at the mutilated horse. Anger coursed through him, dissipating the cold that had seeped through his clothing. He gripped her hat tightly in his hand and stared into the trees and scrub.

The only species capable of dismembering the horse and taking Rose was humanoid. He looked back at the horse and realized it had been butchered and parts of the flesh were missing. His thoughts were immediately drawn to O’Malley’s ranch. He walked in a circle around the area looking for any other evidence and found another blue marble not far away. Rose. His clever girl was leaving him a trail which meant she was in good enough condition to think clearly. He turned in the direction of her trail and focused his thoughts. “Rose, I’m coming to get you.”

He grabbed the reins of his horse and started walking in the direction of her trail of marbles and to wherever he felt drawn to by her psychically calling out to him. Rage simmered as he followed her trail. But it manifested as a cold mask. He marched on, focused and ready to unleash a Time Lord's fury on whoever took her. Soon he exited the wooded area.

Across the grassy plain, he spotted people on horseback staring at him. He stopped and watched them. They didn’t move and were almost inhumanly still. “You’re the Cherokee we’re suppose to meet aren’t you,” he whispered to himself. He continued forward toward them. His horse reared up slightly and he turned to quiet him. When he looked back, they were gone. “Oh don’t do that! Now is not the time for vanishing mysteriously,” he mumbled, and sighed in frustration as he continued following the trail toward Rose.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

 

Rose was roughly tossed off the horse that she had been thrown over. She cried out when she landed in the cold mud on her broken leg. The rain stopped but the biting chill of her drenched clothing and the horror she had just witnessed in the woods jolted her to her core. She grasped her leg as her mind raced with thoughts of Daisy and what that monster O’Malley had done to her. Before Rose could get up, she was kicked in the side.

“No dawdling! Get movin’ now!” the rotund and grizzled ranch hand shouted at her. 

She struggled up favoring her injured leg. The ranch hand roughly grabbed her by the arm and hauled into an old wooden structure which she quickly found out was a barn. They dragged her across the dirty, wooden plank floor of the dark, musty barn until they reached an area where she heard snorting, banging and an ominous squealing-type noise. Heavy, rusty chains where clanked down next to her as they chained her to an old medal bar near some paddocks. An oil lamp was lit shining dim light in the dim barn.

Rose looked up to see several of the ranch hands licking their lips and looking her up and down. The large ranch hand who had kicked her earlier leaned over and leered at her. “Now then missy, you be real quiet and nice to us and maybe you’ll live,” he said, as he touched her hair. She pulled back and spit in his face. His face contorted in anger and as he was about to strike her, O’Malley reappeared.

“What are you doing to my property!” he shouted, and hit the large ranch hand with his metal cane. “Get out of here! All of you!” When they left, she looked up to see him staring coldly at her as an old oil lamp swung, creaking ominously from a hook in the ceiling. He smiled a twisted grin at her. “Well, now we have some privacy to discuss business. Who are you? Why are you here and where did you come from?” he asked while standing over her, leaning on his silver cane.

“Why should I tell you anything? You kidnapped me and are holding me prisoner. You don’t even belong here. Just who the hell are you? What planet are you from?”

“Definitely, not from around here are you? These useless, weak humanoids don’t even recognize the rest of the universe much less have any intelligence enough to see what’s in front of them. You will answer my questions,” he told her, and shoved his cane painfully into her chest.

Once she caught her breath, she looked up at him rebelliously. “Fine, I’m not local. Me and the Doctor are on assignment here. There’s been illegal alien activity on this planet,” she answered him, trying to bluff her way out of this interrogation.

“An agent of whom and where’s your ship?” he demanded.

“We’re agents of the Federation and we beamed down from our starship. We’re due to check in with Captain Kirk noon tomorrow and if we don’t, a search party will be down here looking for us,” she told him, cockily. “Look, if you’ve crashed here or need help, maybe we can repair your ship or take you home,” she suggested.

“You’re lying. I’d know if there was a ship in orbit,” he told her with a sneer. “I don’t think you’re here from any Federation. You’re here prospecting this planet aren’t you? Well, you’re too late. I was here first and I claim this world and all of its resources for the Vorank. Now, where is your ship!” he shouted at her.

“What all by yourself?” Rose scoffed at him. “I think you came here to scout things out only your ship crashed and your stuck. Stuck all by yourself living among a primitive species you obviously can’t stand. I’ll bet you can’t even contact your home world for help can you. You seem a bit keen on my transport for someone claiming a planet.” Rose knew he was dangerous but when in doubt. As Jake often said, sometimes the best dense is an offense.

“How dare you!” he screamed at her, and began viciously beating her with the metal cane. He struck her over and over again across the chest, legs, shoulder and one blow glanced across her forehead. She rolled over on her side and used her arms and hands to protect her head. She heard a sick crack and felt white hot pain shoot up her arm as his metal cane landed on here forearm. After what seemed like an eternity, he stopped.

Nauseous and shaking from searing pain, Rose could barely move. She could barely move and was only capable of peeking up at him from the floor over her now broken arm as blood trickled down her face

He glared down at her almost shaking in anger. “Vorank do not accept charity from lesser species. You may be slightly more intelligent than the indigenous species of this world, but you’re still weak. It wasn’t even a challenge to capture you.”

“If you hate humans so much, what are you doing here. You gonna steal the natural resources and leave the people to suffer? What gives you the right?” she demanded as she coughed up some blood.

“We are superior! The strong survive and conquer the weak. This world has rich resources. The primitive bipedal animals of this world are useless except for menial labor. They don’t even taste palatable. My people have plans for this world’s resources. We’ll easily conquer these weak animals and harvest them for sale on one of the commercial trade markets. They don’t deserve such a rich world. My people will make good use of what is here and sell what we don’t need. My clan will be the first here and will be credited for bringing the glory of this conquest to our people.”

Even as she struggled to remain conscious, anger and disgust by his plan kept her awake and thinking. Especially, his comment of eating people. As strange as it sounded, she was happy humans didn’t taste good to him. After a brief pause, and watching him gloat she responded. “Oh yeah, if you‘re here to bring about all this glory, then how come no one’s come looking for you then? What, you the runt of the litter or somethin? They didn’t think you’d succeed so aren’t willing to waste their time tryin’ to find you?” Rose croaked out, trying to keep conscious and knowing that pushing him could lead to another beating. But she was Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth and she'd be damned if she lay there and did nothing.

“You think you’re being brave, don’t you?" He sneered at her. "Are you expecting your Doctor to arrive and rescue you? Perhaps, he will come to retrieve his pet. I might enjoy that. One killer can always recognize another. It’s in his eyes,” he drawled. “Maybe you’d like to watch as I slowly dismember him. If you don’t tell me where your ship is, I will make sure you both watch each other as I slowly rip bits off of each of you piece by piece and feed them to my pets. Would you like to meet my pets?”

He walked over to a nearby pen, which was actually five paddocks with the walls removed and reinforced with metal rails. He lit several oil lamps. Despite her injuries, Rose gasped in horror as five horses were revealed.

The horses were similar to wild American horses except for their eyes. They had dark, fathomless eyes that chilled her through and through when she looked at them. They were all restricted with heavy metal chains similar to what restrained her. One of horses trotted up to O’Malley. The horse was as black as midnight. It snorted, snarled and reared as much as the chain would allow. It had sharpened teeth and its face was coated in dried clumps of blood.

The other four approached slowly behind it. One was white with gray mane and blackish gray markings on its head. Another was a fiery reddish brown with a white diamond mark on its head. The third was light brown with black mane and had its lips drawn back and whinnied a piercing screeching noise. The last was chocolate brown with black mane and stared at Rose as it snorted and shook its head. Rose cringed back as much as her injuries would allow.

O’Malley reached down into a bag and pulled out a large piece of Daisy’s bloodied flesh and threw it into the stall and stood back and grinned as the horses snorted and fought with each other over the horse meat. Rose began breathing rapidly as the wild noises of the carnivorous horses became louder as they fought over the bit of flesh. Tears flowed down her face and she looked up to see O’Malley smiling and humming at the carnage before him.

After the horses quieted, he turned to Rose and walked over to her. “Amazing, aren’t they? I found them hunting in the hills. It took me one lunar cycle to capture all five. I admire their speed and ferocity. They are quite intelligent and like to hunt in a pack to corner their prey. The black one cornered me and it was quite a battle to subdue him.

Now, perhaps you understand. I won’t be denied. Tell me where your ship is!”

“Why should I? You’re just gonna kill me. You’ve threatened me, the Doctor and this planet. Not exactly the type of thing to persuade me to help you.” she told him, wincing as she moved her broken leg.

He walked up and raised his cane and smacked her already broken leg until the bone protruded and blood soaked her jeans. The smell of the blood agitated the horses who had already finished the horse flesh O’Malley fed to them. “Oh, you’ll tell me or I’ll throw you in with the horses. I don’t think you want to be devoured alive now do you?”

Rose looked over toward the horses, one of which was staring at her and breathing heavily. She sighed. “Fine. If you don’t feed me to the horses, I’ll tell you.”

O’Malley laughed. “Agreed. You’re death will not be in the jaws of my pets. Now, where is it?” he demanded coldly.

“It’s a cloaked shuttle hidden in the ravine two kilometers north of town,” she told him, a bit groggy. She knew soon she would lose consciousness as the pain was overwhelming her.

“You’d better be telling the truth. If I don’t find it. I’ll do worse than feed you to my pets. Do you understand?” he asked her, as he poked his cane into her chest where he had shattered her ribs from his earlier beating. She nodded her head all the while hoping the Doctor would find her by the time O’Malley realized she had lied. “Good,” he told her and lifted his cane up and struck her across the forehead knocking her unconscious. He smirked and walked out of the barn.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

 

A light mist fell from the gray sky mimicking the Doctor’s mood as he continued to track Rose. During his journey, he was bombarded with feelings being transmitted to him by Rose. Her terror mixed with darts of pain infused him with a fiery determination to find her quickly and punish those that had taken her. He reached a rocky terrain dotted with scrub when he fell to his knees after being overcome by her screaming mental anguish as if a thousand stars exploded simultaneously. He gasped her name with tears running down his face as he very clearly visualized a beaten and battered Rose curled up around herself trembling as an ominous menacing force stood over her tormenting and torturing her wounded body.

A dark and dangerous anger began bubbling forth from the well of the blackest recesses of his soul. The only containment of this dangerous part within himself was the shining beacon of his love who was beaten and trembling by some malevolent force which became the focus of his rage. He stood slowly grasping the bridle of his horse who was now rearing in terror from the man now transforming into the avatar of vengeance. The sky darkened and a fierce wind began blowing across the plains. Each step forward was one more step closer to unleashing centuries of anger and pain. He no longer needed to look for a trail of marbles. He knew his destination. His pace quickened until he rounded a rocky outcropping where the five Cheyenne appeared. He stared at them and they stared back unmoving. Finally, the darkness receded enough for him to speak.

“I know who you are and what I owe you. Let me finish this,” he told them with dark eyes and a cold, angry demeanor.

The elderly medicine man dismounted and walked up to the Doctor staring him in the eye and spoke.

“Asagaya Gigaei, great spirit of the storm. Your rage against the Nun'Yunu'Wi is powerful. You must not allow this rage to rule your heart or all is lost. The Nun’Yunu’Wi is a powerful spirit and will use your rage against you. You must cast aside the untempered and wild winds. Only the focused purpose will prevail.”

The Cherokee chieftain walked up to the Doctor and stood by the medicine man.

“Great Asagaya Giagaei, all great warriors have two wolves inside. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and takes no offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so and in the right way. The other wolf is full of anger. The littlest thing will cause him to rage. He fights everyone all the time and for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. His helpless anger will change nothing. Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside, for both of them try to dominate the warrior’s spirit. You must choose which wolf to feed.”

The Doctor stared at the Cherokees and inhaled a deep breath. “Thank you. You’re right. I can’t help Rose if I’m not in control. These emotions are overwhelming to me sometimes. Yet I’ve seen humans use emotions to do great and impossible things.” He stopped and closed his eyes to focus and opened them to find only the medicine man in front of him. He listened to the soulful sound of the other Cherokees singing a song in the distance. It was a song asking for the spirits to guide him and help him succeed in defeating O‘Malley and securing the five horse spirit protectors.

The medicine man tied a small leather pouch to the Doctor’s belt and stepped back and the singing stopped. It was as if the entire world had stopped. The Doctor realized he couldn’t feel time flow and stared at the medicine man. “What have you done?”

“The girl with the wolf spirit is waiting for you,” the medicine man replied.

“How will I find you when I’ve retrieved the horses?”

The medicine man pulled some powder out of his bag and blew it into the Doctor’s face causing him to step back and cough as he tried to wipe it from his eyes. When he looked up, the Indians were gone and he could feel time flowing normally. “Textbook enigmatic,” he muttered, shaking his head.

After his encounter with the Cherokee, he mounted his horse and set a good pace toward his destination. He had a clear picture in his mind of a large, weathered wooden structure where he knew he would find Rose. It didn’t take long before he found it sitting in the middle of a grassy plane far from any area where any settler would run across it. He could see some ranch hands mulling about outside the building. He pulled an orange sized metallic ball and his sonic from his pocket. He activated the metal device which flew from his hands toward the barn.

“One distraction coming up,” he muttered as the metal ball reached it’s destination and began bouncing off the heads of the ranch hands. It flitted about like a playful hummingbird. Soon, the ranch hands were chasing after it as it zipped back and forth luring them away from the barn. When the group was about twenty meters from the barn, the device emitted a sonic signal which knocked them unconscious. The Doctor smiled as the ball zoomed back to his waiting hand. He tucked everything back in his pocket and raced toward the barn.

He tied up his horse outside and walked cautiously toward the dark opening. The scent of decaying meat mixed with hay and manure permeated the air. The only sound he heard was of animals moving around their stalls. Once his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior, he quickly made his way through the barn until he reached the end. The sight of Rose collapsed, bloodied and broken tore threw him like jagged knife. He ran and knelt by her whispering her name over and over again. He pulled out his sonic and started scanning her noting her broken leg, arm and ribs along with multiply gashes and contusions. He gently brushed her dirty and bloodied hair from her forward and saw one of her eyes was swollen and bruised.

“Rose, who did this to you?” he whispered in anguish. A snorting and banging noise captured his attention. He turned toward the pen and saw the carnivorous horses hovering around the edge of the pen breathing heavily and looking at Rose. He turned back to Rose. “I have to get you out of here.” The horses banged against the stall. He suspected the scent of Rose’s blood was driving them mad with hunger. As glanced at the horses, he heard Rose groan. He looked down to see her open her uninjured eye. “Rose!” he croaked out.

“Doctor, you have to get us out of here. He’ll be back soon. He’s a..” she paused and swallowed. “Uh, Vorank. Here to conquer. Wants our ship.”

“Shhh, Rose. I’ll take care of it. I promise I’ll take care of you and get us out of here,” he told her, as he absorbed this information. Vorank was a name he knew, at least he knew what they were in their home universe. Vorank were notorious for invading undeveloped worlds and destroying the ecosystems by their unethical decimation of the planet’s resources. They were galactic locusts in an undying conquest to rape and pillage any world that caught their fancy and they were vicious killers. He looked down at Rose’s injuries and the rage he had tamped down earlier blossomed within him. He heard horses outside the barn. He leaned down and kissed Rose on her forehead.

“I need you to hang on for me just a bit longer. Promise me you won’t give up,” he begged her.

“I’m not going anywhere without you. Course, if you could hurry up a bit… I could really use a loo,” she tried to joke with him, but started coughing up blood.

He soniced her chest. "You have a broken rib that’s pierced your lung. Try not to move, love. Stay still and rest. I won’t be long,” he tried to smile at her but his pale, worried face gave him away.

“Don’t worry bout me. Do what you hafta do and don’t let that bastard hurt you. I can hang on if I know you’re okay.”

He gazed into her pain filled eyes. “We’re both going to be okay,” he told her and stood up.

“Oh. I wouldn’t be making any promises,” sneered O’Malley, who stood behind the Doctor with two ranch hands on either side. The Doctor turned toward him and stared at him with cold, furious eyes. The ranch hands on either side of O’Malley flinched and backed up until they were running out of the barn.

“This is between you and I,” the Doctor calmly told him. The oncoming storm had been unleashed.


	39. Coward or Killer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and O’Malley are confronting each other after the Doctor found Rose beaten and chained up in the old barn near the carnivorous horses. This chapt still has a slightly dark tone but perhaps not as much as the last chapt.

The dimly lit barn was silent except for the occasional snorts and scuffling of the horses as the Doctor and O‘Malley faced each other.

“Your pet wasted my time. You are going to watch her die now,” O’Malley said, a cold smile cracking his face as his finger rhythmically tapped the top of his cane.

“No,” the Doctor replied with a calm that belied his deep-seated anger.

O’Malley laughed. “Are you challenging me? I have yet to find any species on this planet capable of truly challenging me. The horses beside you are the closest and I doubt they are even indigenous to this world. So tell me, Doctor, are you initiating a challenge for your pet?”

“You took Rose from me and then you hurt her. No one hurts Rose. You threatened this world and every living creature on it. I’m not going to let you do anymore damage to anyone.” The Doctor stood unnaturally still, every word spoken with precision and conviction He subtlety assessed the options available to him in the barn.

“What does one weak hybrid member of this humanoid species think he can do to stop me,” O’Malley demanded.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and activated it. O’Malley’s cane shattered into a cloud of silver dust while he grunted and fell to his knees and his true form was revealed. He stood and towered over the Doctor. O’Malley, in his true form, resembled a Silurian. He stood seven feet tall with dark green scaled skin and claw like hands and feet. Two black eyes on his reptilian head seethed in rage. He hissed at the doctor baring sharp teeth. He had a flattened nose, no earlike appendages and a green and yellow crest about his neck which flared .

The creature calling itself O’Malley let out an ear piercing scream. Dust rained down. The Doctor pointed his sonic at the ceiling and releasing rusty nails. A beam swung down and struck O’Malley across the chest sending him flying backwards out of the barn. A cold dark expression on his face, the Doctor walked out toward O'Malley casually picking up a pitchfork on his way out the door. O’Malley was already on his feet and hissing at the Doctor.

“This ends now,” the Doctor stated with a hard expression on his face as a storm began blowing in across the plain.

“Not the end. The beginning of your death and the domination of this world by my people and the glory of it all for my clan!” O’Malley growled at him.

The Doctor remained deadly calm and focused. He circled around O'Malley in slow, graceful movements wielding the pitchfork as if it were part of him. O’Malley lifted up his arm and black dark spines shot out toward the Doctor. The Doctor spun the pitchfork with grace and ease and the spines embedded themselves in the wooden handle. The Doctor plucked them out and tossed them aside.

O’Malley howled in rage. He charged the Doctor. At the last minute his long reptilian tongue shot outward. The Doctor tried to deflect it with the pitchfork but instead, it wrapped around the handle. They struggled for control of the pitchfork until the Doctor dropped down to close to the ground. He used his momentum and adrenaline rush to hurl O’Malley over him, crashing him into the side of the barn partially collapsing the wall of the building. O’Malley quickly sprinted up, growling, grabbed a wooden plank, and charged at the Doctor. The two began sparring, wooden plank versus pitchfork.

O’Malley was stronger and outweighed the Doctor. But the Doctor was agile and relied on strategy, his superior intellect and knowledge of physics in the battle. Unfortunately, during one of O’Malley’s thrusts forward, the Doctor stepped back onto some uneven ground and lost his balance. O’Malley exploited this advantage and moved in to thrust the heavy board at the Doctor’s head. The Doctor remained calm. He stayed focused on his goal: save Rose. The only way to do that was defeat O'Malley. 

He shifted in the sandy soil and at the last minute and kicked out at O’Malley’s legs destabilizing him enough to thrust upward with the pitchfork. He impaled it into O’Malley’s thick, scaly skin. The Doctor was unable to penetrate O’Malley’s hide more than a few inches but it was enough to produce a screech from the enraged creature. The Doctor continued to thrust forward with the embedded pitchfork while O’Malley tried to remove it. The Doctor stayed focused on Rose, giving him strength to hand on while O'Malley swung him back and forth like a rag doll. 

Eventually, O'Malley loosened the pitchfork. He tossed it aside with the Doctor still gripping it. Blood oozing from his wounds, looked at the Doctor and back at the barn entrance. “You draw first blood but I know what hurts you. You don’t want me back in there do you? Let’s see you stop me,” O’Malley taunted and raced toward the barn.

“No!” the Doctor shouted. Panic burned through him. O’Malley was going after Rose. But panic was soon replaced by a burning and consuming rage. The sky darkened and lightning flashed as the Doctor sprinted after O’Malley, grabbing a rope from a post and unfurling it as he ran. O’Malley reached Rose. He looked back at the Doctor to make sure he was watching. With a reptilian hissing laugh, he raised his razor sharp clawed hand. A lasso flew through the air and tightened about O’Malley’s shoulders and jerked him away.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and pressed it to the rope, changing the molecular structure slightly so that the rope became dense. The strength increased similar to a steel cable. This caused the rope to tighten up painfully around O’Malley. He hissed as the rope cut into his flesh across his shoulders and chest. The Doctor yanked him across the dirty, wooden floor further away from Rose and threw the end of the rope up over a wooden support beam that ran the length of the barn. The Doctor grunted as he pulled O’Malley’s struggling form up until he dangled several meters off the floor. He tied off one end of the rope so he could walk around and confront O’Malley.

Jaw clenched he stood before struggling O‘Malley. His expression hardened and glaring at him with dark, furious eyes. “So, what’s your real name anyway?” the Doctor asked him.

“My name is Sanserr and it is your death sentence,” he hissed and struggled against his bindings.

“Well, Sanserr, you’re right about one thing. Your name is a death sentence, unless of course, you start cooperating.”

“I give you nothing but death!”

The Doctor crossed his arms, showing little emotion. “Personally, I think that you should know the pain you inflicted on Rose. So, let’s start with what you were so keen on knowing. Tell me where your ship is,” the Doctor asked coldly, staring at Sanserr with an alien disdain and superiority that could only come from his Time Lord heritage.

Sanserr laughed and hissed. “I will tell you nothing. You humans are inferior. You are nothing compared to the Vorank!”

The Doctor turned around and looked at Rose whimpering and struggling to breathe and saw something metallic reflecting the light sitting not far from her. He walked over and picked up the bloodied sword. He held it in his hand holding it up to the light and examined it as he slowly turned toward Sanserr. He gripped it tightly as he walked to the dangling Vorank.

“I’m not completely human,” he said and then expertly slashed the sword across Sanserr’s torso. Sanserr growled but did not scream.

“Nice sword. It’s Plumianto, right? You use this to slaughter Rose’s horse and threaten her?" The Doctor whipped it through the air inches from Sanserr. "Sort of fitting that the weapon you used to murder and torture innocent lives is now used on you. Don’t ya think?” The Doctor looked up at Sanserr hanging and bleeding and felt something in the back of his mind trying to dig its way through his feelings of anger and vengeance. It made him doubt his initial violent instincts.

“I’m not going to ask you again. Where is you ship?”

“Coward! A real hunter knows how to attack his prey and extract information. A Vorank would have done more than just scratch his prisoner and demand information. This is just further evidence of your weakness.”

The Doctor stopped at the word “coward.” He remembered another murderous foe who once asked him if he was a coward or killer. He looked at the sword in his hand and then back to Rose who looked at him with tears running down her face with one thought directed at him. “You’re not a murder and you’re better than him.” 

He nodded and turned back only to find Sanserr had started swinging back and forth and slammed into him knocking him to the ground where he dropped the sword. As Sanserr swung wildly back and forth growling and trying to free himself, the support beam cracked. The Doctor looked up and knew it wouldn’t be long before it came crashing down. He had to act quickly. He jumped up and ran toward Sanserr who was swinging toward he and Rose. He slammed into Sanserr knocking him to the side just as the beam broke. Sanserr went flying through the air and landed in the paddock with the carnivorous horses.

Rose cried out and lost consciousness. “Rose!” The Doctor ran over and knelt by her as the horses began to snort and squeal. Rose was struggling to breath but still had a strong pulse. “It’s going to be all right, Rose. Please, just hang on a bit longer.” The Doctor heard Sanserr call out and walked over to the Paddock where the horses were nearing the struggling Vorank snorting and baring their sharp teeth.

“Doctor, you have to get me out of here. Your pet is already dead. I’m not. I’ll take you to my ship and split my claim to this world with you.”

The Doctor looked at the horses and back down at Sanserr. He felt nothing but contempt for this would be conqueror. “You had your chance. No second chances. That’s who I am.” 

He turned away as the horses attacked. He walked back to Rose as he heard Sanserr scream and the sick crunch and wet slurping noises that followed. He knelt down and gently scooped up Rose and carried her away from the carnage in the barn. As he exited the building, a light misting rain was falling from the gray stormy sky and the five Cherokees were waiting for him. Rose’s breathing was labored and she was struggling and he set her down and pulled out his sonic. She gasped and stopped breathing. Silence filled the air except for the howling of wolves across the prairie.

“Noooo!” the Doctor shouted. “You promised! You can’t leave me!” he cried out as he ripped open her shirt and felt her chest for the broken rib that had pierced her lung. The medicine man grasped his shoulder and tugged him away. The Medicine Man pulled Rose into his arms and manipulated her body. The Doctor sat back stunned as he watched the Cherokee feel her chest and pull and tug until he had manipulated her broken ribs. The Doctor quickly sprang into action. He used a setting on the sonic to heal bones so he could prevent further damage, but she still had a collapsed lung and wasn’t breathing. Her lips were turning blue and she was as white as freshly fallen snow. He shook with a deep fear and felt terror hijack his ability to form a rationale thought. He looked up at the medicine man with tears in his eyes.

“Please help me. Please,” he begged. The medicine man took the Doctor’s hands and placed them on her chest and pulled a paste out of his bag which he shoved into her mouth. He placed a hand on her head and began singing. The chieftain and the warriors also began chanting a song asking the healing spirits to give her strength. The Doctor felt a jolt like electricity coursing through his body. 

When he looked up, a golden eyed wolf was sitting by the medicine man. It walked over to Rose and licked her face. It stared him in the eyes until he felt like he was gazing into time itself. He blinked and the wolf was gone. The medicine man gently laid her down and the other Cherokee brought blankets to cover her. The chieftain walked over to the Doctor. “Asgaya Gigaei, your storm has cleansed the land of great evil. A promise must be kept.”

The Doctor nodded and hesitantly walked away from Rose back to the barn. When he approached the paddock, the carnivorous horses seemed calm and at peace. They quietly nudged each other and whinnied like normal horses. When he looked down into the paddock, all that remained of Sanserr was a bloody pulp mixed with hay. The Doctor grimaced and felt the world slip away for a few seconds before focusing on the remainder of his task. The black horse walked toward him and nudged the door to the paddock. The Doctor stared into the horse’s eyes which no longer held malice or violence. He nodded his head and quietly opened the door. The chains holding the horses clanked across the wood floor. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and released them. He reached up and put his hand against the black horses neck. “I’m sorry.” He led it out of the barn followed by the other four horses who were equally as calm.

When he emerged from the barn with the horses, the Cheyenne walked up and greeted them by name. The black horse was Alsoomes, which meant independent. The white horse was Nahimana, the mystic; the fiery reddish-brown horse was Talutah, blood red; the chocolate brown was Wakanda, mystic powers; and the light brown horse was Wachiwi, the dancer. The Indians and the horses began moving away from the barn silently while the Doctor walked over and knelt near Rose, who seemed to be breathing easier but was still unconscious. He pulled out his sonic and worked on her arm. The bone was shattered, so it would take some time for it to heal completely. He needed to get the breaks splinted.

He ripped her jeans to examine the compound fracture of her tibia. “Oh, Rose, I’m so sorry but I’m going to have to hurt you. We have to get the bones aligned,” he whispered and looked at her face. She was still unconscious for which he was grateful. He set his sonic and held it in his teeth directed at her leg as he pulled and twisted her leg until he had the bone aligned and somewhat melded together. Rose had grunted and cried out but never opened her eyes. 

The Doctor shakily pulled back and gently kissed her forehead. “Not long now. I promise,” he whispered to her. He looked around the yard and found some materials to make splints for her leg and arm. By the time he was done, the sky was darkening as sunset approached. The ranch hands who he had disabled earlier also had disappeared. He sat back for a moment to gather his thoughts and held her hand in his when he heard a horse nearby. He looked over and saw a rustic looking wagon approaching with a middle aged man and Cherokee woman.

The big, burly man with salt and pepper hair was dressed in typical farmers clothing. He hopped off the cart and helped his wife, a petite woman with graying hair dressed in a mix of native American and settler clothing, off the wagon, and they walked over toward the Doctor. “Evenin’, I’m John Tate, and this here’s my wife, Aponi. We heard you might need a hand.”

The Doctor stood up and nodded as Aponi stepped forward. “Asgaya Gigaei, it is time for you and your wolf woman to continue your journey. The spirits of my people have asked us to help you along.”

“Thank you,” he said and nodded. He turned to kneel down and pick up Rose but Aponi put a hand on his shoulder. She knelt down and placed her hand on Rose’s forehead and closed her eyes.

“Your wolf woman has many times faced great evil. She is strong but the battle has taken its toll. The spirits of my people protect her but she still needs your strength.” Aponi pulled a flask out and tilted Roses head up so she could swallow some of her tonic. “This will help speed her healing. The rest is up to her.”

The Doctor lifted Rose up and carried her to the cart where he gently set her down and climbed in after her. John and Aponi pulled the cart out and the Doctor gave them directions to the TARDIS. During the long trip, Rose would moan and mumble but never regained consciousness. The Doctor cradled her head and whispered comforting words in her ear, his stomach in knots with worry. What would he do if...no he couldn't think that. She would come back to him. He vowed to himself and her he would tell her every day how much he loved her. 

When they arrived at the TARDIS, John and Aponi hopped down and walked to the back of the wagon and looked from the Doctor to the TARDIS.

“Scuse me, Doc, but you sure this is where you want to go?” John asked, skeptically.

“Yep, this is the place," he said softly and laid another kiss on Rose's warm forehead before looking over at the couple. "You know, looks can be deceiving. I mean, people in town seem to think you’re a bit of an ogre and that your wife’s some sort of witch, but we know that’s not true,” the Doctor said, smiling as he gently eased Rose from the cart into his arms.

John laughed. “That so! Town folk are a suspicious lot. They get all these settlers comin’ through on the way to the trail and come up with all sorts of ideas. Well, that and maybe I might of spooked some of um nosing about my property. As for Aponi here, well, people are just scared cause she’s a healer. They don’t trust no woman healer much less a Cherokee,” John told him smiling.

“Things will change, John. At least, in time they will. Thank you for your help,” the Doctor said and and pulled his TARDIS key out.

“Asgaya Gigaei, you must have faith in your wolf woman," Aponis said with confidence. "She has a strength you do not yet understand. The wolf spirit guides and protects her. The wolf is a creature with a high sense of loyalty and strength. She is cunning, fierce and a protector of her pack. She chooses her mate with care and mates for life.”

John stepped over and put an arm around Aponi's shoulders. "My wife's a wise woman. Always knows the right thing to do." He nodded and gazed down at her with affection.

"Thank you, Aponi, both of you for everything. Take care of each other.” He turned and carried Rose into the TARDIS. Much to his surprise, as he walked through the console room, the TARDIS had grown a new room, a medical bay. He mentally sent a thank you to his ship, who responded with a warm comforting mental caress. He walked quickly in and laid Rose down on an examining table and began attaching monitoring equipment to her. The medical bay was not as equipped as he would like but it would do. He was able to locate a tissue regenerator which he set on her chest and programmed to heal Rose’s punctured lung.

Once he stabilized her and administered some pain medication, he went back to the console. He smiled, thinking how Rose would have giggled and teased him for scanning for alien tech to find Sanserr's ship. But she wasn't there. The fear and loneliness he'd repressed earlier consumed him. His chest tightened and he shook down to this core. He swiped at tears wetting his face. 

He had to focus on finding the alien ship so they could go home. Eventually, he tracked down the crashed Vorank ship which was cloaked and not far from the barn where so much torment had occurred. He dematerialized nearby. He checked on Rose. She was still unconscious and her vital signs were improving. Reluctantly, he left her to examine the Vorank ship. He needed to transmit a signal to the Vorank advising them the world was inhospitable and populated with a species that had attacked Sanserr. He made it sound like Sanserr died a useless death exploring a wasteland world. After that, only one thing remained. He disintegrated the Vorank ship using technology he found on board.

When he returned to the TARDIS, he sent them into the Vortex and went straight to Rose. He pulled a stool up, grasped her hand and focused on her mind. Falling into a meditative state, he concentrated on healing her. By the time Rose opened her eyes, she found him sitting with his eyes closed holding onto her hand. She croaked out, “Doctor” startling him.

“Rose!” Eyes snapped open, he kissed her hand. He could have spent an hour just staring into her eyes and telling her how worried he was. But instead, hopped around the med bay checking readings to make sure she was healing properly.

“Doctor, what happened,” she asked with a cracked voice.

“Oh, you know, the usual. The bad alien captured you and the dashing Time Lord came to your rescue,” he told her, not looking at her and making some adjustments to the medical equipment.

She closed her eyes swallowed and turned to look at him. “I remember being in the barn with man-eatin’ horses." Tears wet her eyes and she trembled. "And you were fighting with O’Malley. What happened to him and the horses?” The Doctor didn’t say anything for a while. Finally Rose prompted him. “Doctor, what happened?”

He looked at her with ancient tormented eyes. “He paid for his actions. I brought the horses to the Cheyenne and brought you back to the TARDIS.”

Rose blinked slowly, inhaling a shaky breath before she met his gaze. “What do you mean? Doctor, you didn’t…” She didn’t finish her sentence.

He smiled slightly and walked over and took her hand in his. “No. Someone reminded me, like she always does, that there’s a better way.”


	40. Time To Confess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of down time for the Doctor and Rose as Rose recovers from her injuries from their wild west adventure. Warning - some cursing.

Rose smiled as she read Jake’s email. Agent Fielding fell into a pile of Puknit guano while chasing a herd of three foot long, green alien hedgehogs through a London alley. Rose picked up her mobile and rang Jake as she curled up on the sofa.

“Seriously, three foot long green hedgehogs?” Rose asked, grinning.

“Yeah, apparently when they get scared they take a dump as the run. It was disgusting!" Rose could just see the look of disgust on Jake's face. "Who knew an alien hedgehog could produce that much crap and the smell! Oh, be glad you weren’t there. Fielding was covered in the stuff. We had him ride in back with the windows open and we still had to wear masks it was so bad. Maintenance had to fumigate the SUV!” Jake explained laughing.

“So what happened to the alien hedgehogs?” She couldn't help but ask through her giggles.

“Oh them, well they ran into a park and disappeared.”

“What! Disappeared!”

“Yeah, in a flash of light. I suppose whatever alien lost ‘em came back and zapped ‘em up. To be honest, it was fine by me. Wasn’t looking forward to moving them back to Torchwood. So, I hear you broke your leg,?” Jake asked shifting the conversation.

“You talked to the Doctor?” Rose asked, drawing circles on the cushion.

“He called and wanted to know about any information we had on weird happenings in America in 1864. He never really explained it. Just sort of rambled on about man-eating horses, Indians and aliens. Do you know what he was talking about?” Rose was silent for a moment. “Rose, you still there?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, um did you find anything?” Rose asked, her voice pitching up a notch.

“Not really. Well, Mandy did find some Native American legend about man-eating horses, a storm spirit guy and his wolf girl fighting some kind of monster. It was a bit sketchy. Why’d he want to know?”

“Oh you know, just something he came across. There weren’t any other references to the man-eating horses?” Rose asked, as she chewed her thumb nail nervously.

“Rose." Jake paused. Rose could feel the tension through her phone. "Are you telling me there’s man-eating horses out there?” 

“Yes, uh no, well maybe. It’s a bit of a legend so you never know. You know the Doctor. He’s just making sure is all,” Rose tried to explain biting her lip.

“I guess I’ll just put man-eating horses on the watch list then,” Jake said sighing.

“Watch list?” Rose asked.

“Stuff the Doctor asks about or mentions might be out there. We keep a list just in case.”

“Yeah, course you do," Rose nodded her head and frowned. "Look Jake, I better be going. The Doctor’s supposed to make lunch and I better check and make sure he didn’t try and sonic the oven again.”

Jake laughed. “All right, you two take care now. Next time your in town, give me a ring and we’ll meet for a drink.”

“Promise, Jake. See ya.” Rose rang off and stared at the phone. Speaking of the Doctor, he had promised her lunch hours ago. She picked up her crutches, which she honestly didn’t believe she needed anymore but kept using to make the Doctor happy, and hoisted herself off the sofa. She slowly made here way out of the study and toward the kitchen. The house was a little too quiet so she called out for the Doctor.

“Rose! What are you doing up. I told you to rest,” the Doctor admonished as he slid down the stair railing and hopped off walking up to her.

“Doctor, did you forget something?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What! No! Why?” he asked, running a hand through his hair.

“Lunch?” Rose mentioned.

“Lunch sounds brilliant! What are we having?”

Rose smiled and shook her head. “You told me to stay put and you were making lunch.”

“I am? Oh yes, I did say that didn’t I . Well, you see I thought I saw a Niferantous beetle flying through the house and I had to investigate and then I found the triple matrix crystal I thought I lost so I….”

“Doctor, you forgot lunch didn’t you?” Rose asked, interrupting his babble leaning on one of her crutches.

“Uh, Maybe. Didn‘t we just eat?” he asked with an innocent pitch to his voice.

Rose shook her head. “Breakfast was five and half hours ago. I’ll make lunch. You go play with your crystals,” she said and waved him off.

“No, no, no! You are to be resting and healing,” he reminded her.

“Doctor, I’m rested and bored and hungry.” She couldn't keep the petulant tone out of her voice. She really was sick of being injured.

“Yes, well resting is a bit boring, but that’s good. You need to get better,” he reasoned.

“I’m fine. I don’t even need these crutches anymore.”

“You’ve had a serious leg injury and need to give it time to heal properly," he insisted. "Besides, the crutches are sexy.” He rocked back on his heels and waggled his eyebrows.

“How are crutches sexy?” Rose asked staring down at said cructches.

“Well, they’re not ordinary Earth crutches. The TARDIS made them specially for you. They have lovely Gallifreyan writing on them and she made them blue like our original Tardis, they sing, glow in the dark and levitate if you choose the right setting,” he lectured.

Rose rolled her eyes. “They are not sexy. You’re just geeking out over the extras is all.” Rose stared at him as he pouted. “Fine, I’ll keep using them until tomorrow when we have dinner with Mum and Pete.”

The Doctor's face contorted into a pained expression. “I’m not sure you’re up for that,” he said, with the slightest whine.

“Doctor, we’re going. Now lunch.”

“Fine, I’ll make lunch. You go settle back down in the study and I’ll make you a gourmet Time Lord feast.”

“Right, then you blow up the kitchen or see something shiny and get all distracted. No thank you. You get fascinated with something and I’d starve before you got back around to the lunch part. We’ll make lunch together. Come on,” Rose told him, shifting her crutches so they were under her arms and wiggling her fingers at him. He smiled brightly and grabbed her hand and helped her hobble along to the kitchen.

“Ooooo, I know just the thing! Let’s have toasted tomato sarnies with banana smoothies,” he offered, excitedly.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

They arrived at the Tyler mansion late the next afternoon. Rose opened her car door and the Doctor shouted out, “No! I’ll get it.” She sat back in her seat and tried to be patient. Ever since they arrived home, he had been exceedingly over protective and barely let her lift a finger. At first, it was kind of fun seeing what all she could make him do like rub her feet, draw her bath and bring her breakfast in bed, but then it got it irritating. She knew he felt guilty over what had happened in their last task.

“Doctor, you don’t need to keep doing this. I promise you I’m fine. Almost good as new,” Rose told him, as he held out his hand to help her from the car.

“I’m the Doctor and I’ll decide when you’re healed and until I’m convinced, I’m going to make sure I’m here for you,” he said in a firm tone but with a pained look in his eyes.

She looked up at him. “It wasn’t your fault. Please stop beating yourself up. You stopped the bad alien and rescued me. You saved me and everyone, Doctor. I wish you’d see that.” 

“I promised I’d take care of you and look what happened. This never would have happened if..”

“No, stop it now," Rose insisted. He bore enough guilt and she wouldn't add to it. "I know what you’re saying and you’re wrong. Sometimes bad things happen. It’s what we do to fix it, or help, that makes the difference.”

He looked at her searchingly for a long time. Just as he was about to say something, Jackie burst out the door. “You lot waiting for an engraved invitation? Well, come on then!”

The Doctor smiled. “Shall we, Dame Rose?”

Rose grinned back at him. “Yes we shall, Sir Doctor.”

The Doctor and Rose sat in the kitchen while Jackie fussed over Rose.

“Honestly, all I ask is that you stay in one piece until your married. That’s all. Do you listen to me? No. I’m just the Mum that’s all,” Jackie commented, as she made a kettle of tea and brought it over to the table.

“What, no biscuits?” the Doctor asked, hoping Jackie had made an error.

“You’ll spoil dinner,” Jackie told the Doctor, giving him a no nonsense look. She turned to Rose. “Now then, how are you sweetheart?” she asked, and put her hand on Rose’s arm.

“Oh, I’m fine. The Doctor’s taking such good care of me. I really feel great.”

“Are you sure? You haven’t even been to a hospital. Shouldn’t you have it x-rayed or something and what about your head? Falling off a horse is nothing to joke about.”

“Mum, I’m fine. The Doctor fixed me up. Honestly, he’s barely let me out of his sight,” Rose explained, reaching over, grasping his hand and smiling at him.

“You know I worry. Who knows what kind of alien stuff he used to heal you so quick. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy he’s taking care of you just so long as his weird alien doctoring isn’t gonna turn you green or grow tentacles or something.” Jackie turned to the Doctor. “Well?”

He stuttered and before he could respond Tony came flying into the room and ran over to Rose. “Rooooose! Come play with me!”

“Tony, look how big your getting!” She noted as he slid onto her lap and handed her his new toy space ship.

“See my new space ship, Rose! Daddy gave this to me for being good while Mummy was sick from getting mashed with you the Doctor doing wedding stuff.”

The Doctor choked on his tea and tried to hide the giggles that threatened to come out from Tony’s innocent comment. Jackie had her mug half way to her mouth when Tony spouted his story to Rose. She slowly but noisily set her mug down on the table.

“Excuse me. Pete and I need to talk,” Jackie stated before purposely walking out of the kitchen and yelled “Pete!”

“Ya know, I almost feel sorry for Pete,” the Doctor said, as he stretched out his legs and settled his converse clad feet on a chair and leaned back with a grin on his face. “On the other hand, thanks to Pete’s loose lips and Tony’s stunning memory, we can have tea in peace.” 

Tony climbed over to the Doctor to show him his space ship and the two of them discussed the merits of warp drive. Rose sat back and sipped her tea wondering how Pete would defuse this one. One thing was certain, Jackie was without a doubt smashed or mashed after they had finished up the food and drink tasting for the wedding. Pete most certainly had his hands full that day. Poor Pete.

Although dinner was a bit stilted with Jackie glaring periodically at Pete, it was generally a nice evening. Rose and Jackie chatted about how nicely the wedding plans were coming and the Doctor and Pete discussed the merits of the latest advancement in the Jaguar XK’s engine. After dinner while Jackie was reading to Tony, Pete asked the Doctor and Rose to join him for a nightcap in his office. This was code for Torchwood business.

After Pete had poured all of them snifters of cognac and the Doctor and Rose had settled down on his comfortable leather couch, Pete cleared his throat.

“All right spill,” Pete demanded, leaning against his desk swirling his cognac.

“Spill what, the cognac? Seems a bit of a waste of good cognac” the Doctor replied.

Rose looked up at Pete. “What do you mean?”

“Come on you two. Jacks and I spent a week with you while the Doctor was recovering from the bird thing. I’m not that daft. I expect weird stuff being it’s you two and we were in a house on rift but, something was up. I’m getting the feeling there’s something you’re not telling me. Oh, and then there’s the greenhouse. Don’t suppose you wanna tell me what’s in the locked greenhouse?”

“The greenhouse,” the Doctor stated with innocent wide eyes. He turned and looked at Rose who was playing with a piece of hair. “Wellll, I have a bit of an experiment going on in there and I don’t want anyone blundering into it.”

“Uh huh. What experiment?”

“Oh Pete, you know stuff. Nothing dangerous.” The Doctor waved his hand in the air.

“Right, Rose what’s going on?” Pete asked, setting his glass down and starting to tap his fingers on his mahogany desk.

“Pete, it’s just a…” the Doctor started to explain.

“I asked Rose,” Pete interrupted.

Rose looked at the Doctor who was sending her the psychic equivalent to “don’t say anything.” Finally, she decided enough was enough. “Pete, it’s a bit private. No one’s listening in on us are they?”

“No, of course not.”

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and set it to jam any covert listening device technology. Both Rose and the Doctor stared at the door. Pete sighed. “I had the room sound proofed.”

“Yeah but last time…. Well, you know what happened,” Rose told him, remembering Jackie’s eavesdropping and the misunderstanding that caused the Doctor to need an ice pack and some medicinal sonicing of his nose. The Doctor nodded and rubbed his nose.

“That’s been handled. Now, what’s in the greenhouse and what‘s going on?” Pete asked again.

“Well, we’ve been sort of growing a TARDIS,” Rose told him hesitatingly, and stared at her drink.

“Grew a TARDIS?” Pete groaned slightly and reached for his drink.

“Yep! We sure did. She’s a real beauty, Pete!” the Doctor enthused, grinning madly.

Pete took a long sip of his drink and sat it down and looked at both of them. “I guess that means you’ll be taking off then?”

“Well, we sort of have been on a test run or two, but Pete, the manor is our home," Rose said earnestly. "You, Mum and Tony are here so we’re not just gonna take off forever. I promise Pete. It wouldn’t be like that."

He sighed. “Well, it’s not like I can stop you. Honestly, I suppose it was to be expected. You two aren’t exactly happy when you’re tied down. I just want to make sure that the rift is looked after, not to mention, me handling your Mum. She worries about both of you already. She learns about this and well...”

“Do we have to tell her?” the Doctor whined.

“Not till after the wedding” Rose insisted. “We’ll tell her when we take our honeymoon.”

Pete nodded his head. “That seems fair. So you have a TARDIS, been anywhere interesting?” he asked, starting to crack smile.

Rose sent a psychic message to the Doctor that now would be a good time to tell Pete the truth about the Eternals. He, of course, mentally shouted “No.”

“Pete, there is one other little thing that we need to tell you. What I mean is, that we’ve been using the TARDIS to help us deal with a little problem,” Rose explained as she fidgeted.

“Yes, tiny little problem. Miniscule really." The Doctor pinched his fingers together. "One which we’ll have handled before the wedding. Probably.” The Doctor stood up and began wandering the room picking up random books and baubles. Pete watched him lick a snow globe and turned to Rose.

“What sort of tiny problem?” Pete asked warily.

“Well, we may have sort of irritated these immortal Eternals just a bit,” Rose answered.

Pete walked over and grabbed the bottle of cognac and walked over and sat next to Rose. “You irritated immortal Eternals. How exactly did you do that? What am I saying? He did it right?” Pete asked her, nodding toward the Doctor.

“Oh, that’s right blame the alien!" The Doctor retorted. "Well, in fact, it was Rose not me!” The Doctor then realized what he just said and mouthed, “I’m sorry” to Rose. Rose glared at him and turned to Pete.

“Remember that time bubble thing at the fountain?”

“Not likely to forget that mess.”

“Well, there was this immortal bloke there who was sort of responsible for the thing that caused it. He was a bit cross that the Doctor and I interfered and was hurting the Doctor. So, I sort of tackled him and well it all went pear shaped after that.”

“Let me get this straight. This Eternal was wreaking havoc on Earth and is pissed at you and the Doctor for spoiling his evil plan. That about it?” Pete asked.

“Well actually Pete my friend, there’s a bit more. Ya see, that Eternal was oddly enough called Havoc, as you so stunningly referenced. And he’s part of a group of Eternals that are all about Chaos. Now, there’s another group which are all about order. These two sides are a bit at odds with each other as you might gather. They’re also a bit bored with the universe and since Rose so magnificently throttled one of them, they’re amused by the two of us. Course, who could blame them, after all we are brilliant!” the Doctor explained preening.

“Doctor!” Rose interrupted. “Pete, we have this arrangement. We complete these twelve tasks that they gave us and then they leave us alone. We only have four more to go and then it’s sorted.”

“What kind of tasks and what happens if you don’t complete them?” Pete asked, annoyance lacing his voice.

“It would be very, very bad for Rose and I if we don’t finish these tasks,” the Doctor explained.

“Let me guess, end of the universe?” Pete asked.

“Well, something like that,” the Doctor acknowledged.

“So, what exactly do you have to do in these tasks? I mean, should I be worried? What am I saying? Of course I should be worried. What I meant was, does it affect Earth?” Pete asked.

“Course not! Rose and I have everything under control. Nothing to worry about,” the Doctor reassured Pete.

“Doctor! Don’t say that! You know what happens when you say that!” Rose chastised him.

“Why? What happens?” Pete asked nervously.

Rose sighed “Oh, you know, toxic birds, alien bulls, living trash, tarty deer women, man-eating horses and evil aliens trying to take over the world,” Rose explained, with a blasé attitude.

“Why haven’t you come to Torchwood?” Pete asked, beginning to lose his patience with them.

“We did. Anything that happened on Earth, we went straight to Torchwood. We didn’t tell you cause we didn‘t want anyone to get hurt cause of us,” Rose told him.

“The hadry and the birds,” Pete murmured.

“Yeah, well there was the trip to India but that was just about a pig. Nothing dangerous there and we did call you when we found the aliens living in the jungle,” Rose tried to assure him. Pete started to laugh until tears were streaming down his face. “Umm, Pete? Dad? You okay?” Rose asked worried at his reaction.

When he finally composed himself, he responded to Rose. “The pig that married you was one of your tasks?" He snorted. "If it wasn’t for the dragon thing and the toxic birds, I might like these Eternals.” Rose rolled her eyes. “Okay, so you have four tasks left so what’s next?”

“Hippolyta’s Girdle,” the Doctor explained as he poured himself another glass of cognac and perched on the arm of the sofa.

Rose made a face. “Seriously, we have to go get some woman’s undergarment?”

“Noooo, although, that would be a bit funny depending on the species of course. You see, Hercules was tasked with retrieving the girdle of Hippolyta for Admeta, the daughter of King Eurystheus, as his ninth labor. This girdle was given to Hippolyta by her father Ares, the war god. Now, the girdle was a waist belt that signified her authority as queen of the Amazons. It was gold and leather and sort of looked like a snake. Some say it was magic but really it signified her strength and prowess as a warrior.

When Hercules arrive in Amazon territory, they received him warmly and Hippolyta came to his ship to greet him. Upon hearing his request, she agreed to let him take the girdle. Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus who was Herc’s Dad, was not pleased as was often the case with Hercules. To throw a spanner into the works, Hera came down to Earth and masqueraded as one of the Amazons to muck up the works. 

She worked up the Amazons and accused Herc of all sorts of nasty things. The Amazons went a bit barmy and went to toss Herc out of their land. Well, something went wrong. Depending on which version you believe, either Hippolyta was killed by Herc in the battle or she was kidnapped and taken back to Greece. Either way, most all the stories end in her death. A bit sad that. Herc ends up with the girdle and took it back to King Eurystheus.”

“So what does this mean for the two of you?” Pete asked.

“Well, our task is a similar, although without the dying part. We need to travel to the planet Planet Gilder. There’s an island in the southern hemisphere where there are two distinct tribes. One of which might be described as Amazons. We need to meet with their queen and ask her for the Amulet of Omnew. We have to deliver the amulet to a temple at the top of a mountain on the island.

“You’re just going to go up and ask the Queen of the Amazons for her amulet to take to some temple?” Pete asked, a smile breaking out.

“Yep!”

Pete shook his head. “All right. Here’s the deal. You two have to tell me whenever you take off on one of these tasks. If it’s something on Earth, we talk about Torchwood being there to back you up. I don’t want to risk another bird incident. Understood? In return, I’ll make sure Jackie doesn’t find out. This is between us. Are we agreed?”

“Sounds fair to me. Right, Doctor?” Rose looked at him and could see him fidgeting.

“I suppose if we don’t agree, you’ll tell Jackie and we’ll never hear the end of it,” he said pouting.

“I’m sure you can imagine what she’d say if she knew that you two were traveling on a TARDIS again and risking your lives over some feud with Eternals," Pete admonished. "Not to mention the pain it would cause me. My pain is your pain. Understand?” Pete stated firmly.

“Quite. Rose and I will handle this little task and then we’ll give you a heads up when we prepare for the next one.”

“What’s the next one?” Pete asked.

“Uh, let’s just deal with the Amazon’s first,” the Doctor said, tugging at his ear.

“Doctor, what aren’t you telling us?” Rose asked.

“Just that we should deal with one task at a time. We need to stay focused.”

“All right. Enough excitement for one night. I best be finding Jacks and tuck Tony in for the night. I’ll see you two in the morning.”

After Pete left, Rose patted the cushions next to her. “I know you didn’t want to tell him. I’m sorry but, I just felt like we had to. I trust Pete.”

The Doctor slid next to her putting his arm around her shoulders and smiled quietly at her. “I know. Pete’s all right.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, smiling and laid her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her and kissed her temple.

“Rose, I..that is, there’s something else that I haven’t. Well, the truth is… we need to talk.”

Rose sat up and looked at him with a worried expression. “Doctor, what’s wrong?”

“Maybe nothing. Maybe this is meant to happen. We talked about it a bit when we first found the manor.”

“I don’t understand?”

“What Jackie said over tea earlier today.”

“What do you mean? About what?”

“Rose, even with the help of the sonic and advanced technology, you’re healing too quickly from injuries and so am I.”

As she absorbed this revelation, she looked up into his ancient, worried eyes and the reality of what he was suggesting became clear. “What’s happening to us?”


	41. Amazon Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picks up after the conversation at the Tyler Mansion where the Doctor told Rose that they are both healing faster than they should

The Doctor and Rose reached an agreement not to discuss their unique situation at the Tyler mansion and didn’t bring up the topic again until they were home at Dutton Manor. They focused on preparing for their next task, and it wasn’t until they were loading the TARDIS with supplies that Rose decided she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Doctor, about this healing thing…” Rose asked as she was helping the Doctor stock a supply room the TARDIS just added.

The Doctor climbed down from loading a shelf, turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Rose, there’s nothing to worry about. You’re just a bit different and heal faster. Remember our conversation when we found the TCB? I told you that you were born different and when you merged with the TARDIS you didn’t just absorb the time vortex, but a bit of my TARDIS along with it. It altered you. It’s not a bad thing.”

“Doctor, I understand I’m different and can feel the TCB and the TARDIS. I get it made me more telepathic and made it so I can help with the baby TARDIS but, what else is happening? I just have to know. It’s the not knowing and stuff just popping up that’s bothering me. Please, just tell me,” Rose pleaded. 

His face softened and he wrapped his arms tightly around her whispering soothing things to her. He pulled away, grasped her hand and pulled her into the console room and sat her down on the pilot seat while he paced back in forth in front of her.

“Right, you know that I ran some scans on both of us after we got back from seeing Pete and Jackie. The results are that, well, both of us are sort of…” He stopped and scratched his head and looked up at her. “Rose, our cellular structures are not deteriorating as quickly as a normal human and they’re sort of regenerating a bit.”

“Scuse me, but did you say regenerating?” Rose asked, stunned.

“Yes, but not like your thinking." He tugged nervously at his hair. "It’s not like a Time Lord. Our cells aren’t rewriting themselves entirely. They’re just healing and maintaining their current structure so to speak.”

“Um, in English, please,” Rose asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“Basically, if we’re hurt, we will heal at highly accelerated rate, far faster than a human." The Doctor walked over and sat next to her. "Our immune systems have a bit of a boost as well. We’re also aging, just at a much slower rate. We won’t live forever.”

“You said ‘we’. You explained what happened to me, but is this some Time Lord meta crisis thing?”

“Welll, I regenerated aboard the TARDIS amidst dire circumstances and explosions and Donna having a bit of a fit." He paused and his eyes glazed. Rose laid a hand on his arm in comfort. He blinked and shook his head.

"I think the old girl may have manipulated things. She is clever and senses things that even I or other me can’t. My scan indicated my DNA was slightly modified in a way that makes me part Time Lord, part human and maybe something else. Makes me wonder what the old girl was thinking.” He looked at his hand and then looked back at Rose. “Maybe she sensed the TCB and what needed to happen or…” The Doctor looked at the console with a distressed look on his face.

“Doctor, or what?”

He rubbed his hands over his face and looked at Rose. “The Eternals.”

“You think they interfered?” Rose asked, beginning to think back to the frightening game of croquet and the decisions the Eternals were making about pivotal events. This would have been just the type of thing they would have enjoyed affecting. “Could they have influenced the TARDIS?”

The Doctor sprang up and paced back and forth hands shoved in his pockets. Rose watched him and thought back to the day they defeated Davros. All of her old insecurities about those events resurfaced. She worried about what was real, what was manipulated and how much he knew and didn’t tell her.

“You said on the beach that we would grow old together. Did you know then how different you were?” Her voice cracked, worried he kept things from her.

“Noooo! I thought I would age at approximately the same rate as you. Just didn’t realize what that meant. Rose, I…”

“But now you do?” Rose asked, interrupting him and nervously picking at the seat cushion.

“Yes. We will age, Rose, just not quite at the same rate as standard 21st century humans. We can die if injured severely enough, but I would prefer we not do that if that’s all right with you.”

She looked up at him. “How long? I mean, most humans are old and gray after sixty or seventy years.”

“I don’t know for sure, but we will definitely not be gray at that age and perhaps not for more than a century after that. I can’t say for certain. Things could change again and we could start to age normally." He walked over and rested his hands on her shoulders. "I’ve never seen anything like this, so it makes hypothesizing a bit tricky. I’m sorry, Rose. I wish I could tell you with certainty what will happen, but I can’t.”

Rose stared at the time rotor for a long time before looking at him. She smiled slightly. “Yeah, that’s part of the fun though isn’t it? The not knowing. This is our own personal adventure, the one that found us,” she told him, softly.

He leaned his forehead against hers. “That’s us, the stuff of legends.”

Rose smiled slid her arms around his waist. “Together,” she said softly.

“Forever.” He pulled her into his arms and Rose inhaled his scent, enjoying the warmth and love surrounding her.

“You know, this almost makes things a bit better for us,” the Doctor mused.

“How so?” Rose asked, looking up at him.

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about every little cut and contusion now. Probably a good thing considering we’re about to face the Amazons.”

“I thought you told Pete you weren’t worried about it.”

“I’m not worried. Really, the climate’s like a tropical paradise. It’ll almost be like we’re on holiday.”

“Oh don’t do that!” Rose stepped back and crossed her arms..

“What? What did I do?”

“Jinxed us that’s what.”

“Naaaw. There’s no such thing,” he told her and walked over to the console. “So, you about ready?”

“Yep, let me run back in and get our backpacks.” Rose ran toward the door.

“Backpacks! We have my pockets and the TARDIS. What do we need backpacks for?” 

Rose paused at the door and rolled her eyes. “At the rate we’re going on these tasks, better safe than sorry. I won’t be a mo.” She smiled and raced out the doors. 

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

When they landed on Gilder, it was a warm, sunny afternoon with a slight breeze blowing in off the ocean. Rose walked out of the TARDIS dressed in jeans, trainers and a white tank top while the Doctor followed in his brown pinstripe suit, no tie and his shirt unbuttoned. 

“Gilder! An island paradise. See, told ya. Not unlike the tropical climate of the Caribbean. Mmmmm, smell that fresh sea air and oh look banana trees!”

Rose shook her head and adjusted her backpack. “Come on Robinson Crusoe, lets go find these Amazons.” The Doctor grabbed her hand and they made their way through the tropical forest. As they walked, he pointed out parrots, green tinged monkeys and huge fibrous nests hanging from the trees which housed small colorful hummingbirds. After they’d walked for an hour through the lush, green jungle, they heard loud screeching noises and birds calling out.

“Doctor, what is it?” Rose asked, looking up into the trees.

“Something’s got the fauna all riled up and if I’m not mistaken…oh.”

Rose looked back down to see the Doctor smiling with his hands in the air. She turned her head to see what he was looking at, only to find they were surrounded by who she presumed to be Amazons. The tall, dark haired women all carried long spears and were dressed in white and beige linen sarongs and toga style shifts with belts cinched at the waist, off of which hung various tools and small sacks. They wore gold colored arm cuffs and some of them had their hair pulled back by gold combs. They wore simple leather gladiator sandals and ankle boots. Some of them had sheathed swords.

“Hello! I’m the Doctor and this is Rose. We don’t mean any harm. Just out for a stroll in this lovely jungle. Mind if we put our hands down?” the Doctor asked, with charm.

The women didn’t budge staring suspiciously at him. The leader turned to Rose. “You are dressed strangely and travel with this male. Is this some new mating ritual?”

“Mating ritual?” the Doctor said with offense. “Hardly. If we were mating..”

“Doctor!” Rose interrupted him. She turned to the leader. “Sorry about that. He has this babbling problem. We’re working on it, but you know men, it takes forever to train them,” Rose explained while the Doctor muttered under his breath about cheeky Tyler women.

“My name’s Rose and this is the Doctor and he’s right, we don’t mean any harm.”

The leader nodded her head and Rose and the Doctor lowered their hands. “I am Kikeira and you are on my tribe’s lands.”

“Oh, sorry but we’re not from around here. We were sort of sent her to meet with your leader, Hippolyta.”

“Who sent you?” Kikeira demanded.

The Doctor took this opportunity to communicate with Rose telepathically and suggested she be as vague as possible.

“Well, it’s not something I’m suppose to discuss with anyone other than Hippolyta.” 

Suddenly, one of the women stepped forward. “She’s a seer, a holy one. Look at her, Kikeira.” The woman was staring intently at Rose. Kikeira looked at the woman who had delicate features, green eyes and shoulder length coffee-colored hair.

“Quiet, Sashi!”

“But she travels with a pretty one just as the prophecy proclaims.”

“I said enough! He’s a male and not to be trusted. Kikeira sighed as she could see the warriors looking at Rose with interest." Her face hardened as she glared at Rose. Eventually, she nodded. "We’ll take her to Hippolyta, but he stays under guard.” Kikeira pointed her spear at the Doctor.

“Thank you, Kikeira.” Rose looked back once at the Doctor who was pouting and walking behind them with his hands in his pockets while two of the armed women watched him with suspicion. They walked for another fifteen minutes and exited the jungle in front of a settlement. The buildings were all rectangular and made of beige brick, stone and wood.

The Doctor and Rose walked down the hard packed dirt road passing a series of one and two story brick and stone buildings. The village was populated solely by women of varying ages, all of whom stopped and stared. There were carts drawn by giant brown boars and people traded with various vendors as well as children scampering about playing or carrying goods next to their mothers. Their destination was a two story beige building with two elaborately carved dark brown wooden doors. Kikeira turned to them.

“Wait here.” She walked up some steps and entered the doors. Rose turned toward the Doctor.

“It’ll be all right,” he said to her, softly. “Remember, this is a matriarchal society so they won’t talk to me. They‘ll listen to you. Just be your charming self and everything will be fine.” Rose nodded and turned around to see Kikeira standing outside the doors.

“Only the holy one may enter. The male stays here.” Rose nodded and walked by Kikeira through the doors. 

The interior of the building was much cooler and the air was perfumed with something that smelled like jasmine. The floor was covered in brightly colored woven carpets. There were beautiful tapestries hanging on the walls depicting the Amazons in battle, in the fields and dancing. As Rose turned around observing the inside of the room, Hippolyta entered. Unlike the rest of the Amazons who all appeared to be tanned a golden brown by the sun with hair color raging from black as midnight to chestnut brown, her hair had highlights of ginger. With her vivid green eyes, she was quite stunning. She walked up to Rose.

“You are Rose the seer, the holy one sent to me by the gods,” she stated with authority, looking Rose in the eyes.

“Yeah, that’s me. You Hippolyta then?” Rose asked, staring at her curiously.

She inclined her head. “Could we have a word in private?” Rose asked. Kikeira immediately objected. Rose took off her backpack and turned her pockets inside out to show she wasn’t armed. Hippolyta stepped forward and held out her hand. Rose took it and they walked back through some curtains to a small sitting room with a window that overlooked a garden area. The chairs were made of some type of yellow cane with emerald green pillows as soft as silk. Hippolyta poured Rose some type of golden colored juice from a simple brown carafe.

“Thank you.” Rose sipped the juice which tasted like the combination of a pineapple and orange.

Hippolyta leaned over and softly touched Rose’s hair, gently caressing her face, lightly trailing her fingers gently down her arm and opening Rose‘s hand where she traced her fingers across her palm. She gazed intently into Rose’s eyes. “We have a legend that a fair haired messenger, a holy one, will arrive on a great quest. The legend said the messenger’s beauty would shine brightly from within and she would possess a power to bring peace or destruction. You have come to return the Amulet of Omnew to the Holy Temple have you not?” Hippolyta asked, sitting back and sipping her drink but never taking her eyes off of Rose.

Rose blushed from Hippolyta’s caresses. And she was stunned by the legend since so much of what she said was true even if the rest was a bit rubbish. “Well, yeah sort of. I mean, we’re not here to hurt anyone, just take the amulet to the temple on top of the mountain,” Rose said nervously and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Hippolyta smiled. “The legend said your arrival will herald the merging of our tribe with that of the tribe of men; or, the destruction of us all which is why you travel with the pretty one whose looks conceal what lies beneath, an ancient and cunning warrior who is capable of the destruction of all things. Does this not frighten you?”

“What? The Doctor? No! He‘s not here to destroy anyone. He’s the most brilliant and kind person I’ve ever met,” Rose told her passionately.

Hippolyta smiled. “But, he is a man. Men can never be completely trusted. It is in their nature to conquer and control all those around them. My people have no faith in men. If you are truly here to reunite the tribes, you will need the help of all the gods.”

“Hippolyta, do you want to reunite the tribes?”

Hippolyta looked out the window and sighed. “Many of my people feel it is time for change. Some of my people have been stealing away in the dark of night to meet men and leave for the mountains never to return. There are rumors of another village where men and women live together. I only want what’s best for all my people.”

Rose thought to the Doctor that this task was a lot bigger than they expected. The Doctor did not respond and seemed to be preoccupied with something. “Hippolyta, can you tell me why you live apart from the men?”

“Two generations ago, there was a war where all the men left the island to go off to fight. The women were left behind and had to learn how to provide and maintain our society. We learned how to tend the fields, work metal, learn medicine to heal the sick and to become teachers to educate our children. One day, many moons after the men left, strange creatures came from the sky and attacked us. Many died, but many more survived and grew stronger from it. After the attack, a terrible disease struck, but only killed the remaining males. 

"The women survived and took this as a sign from the gods. The men returned from their war and tried to take control of the women and take away their independence. The women refused and fought the men driving them off our lands. Even after the men left to form their own community, the conflict continued and escalated. The men would come to kidnap the women and the women would escape and return, some with terrible tales of abuse." She looked out a window toward the garden lots in her thoughts before continuing.

"Both sides knew we would all perish if there were no children. A compromise had to be reached so a treaty was negotiated. Every third full moon, there is a meeting in neutral territory. Women who are in their fertility cycle are chosen to attend. There is music, food, dancing and a ceremony praying to the gods for the continuation of our tribes. Matings occur and in the morning, all return to their tribes.

If the Gods are kind and there are children, the women bare the children here. Female children stay with us. Male children, once weaned, are sent to the men. This is the way we have survived for the last two generations. It is not without its problems.”

Rose was speechless. Women gave up their male children never to see them again. It was horrifying to her. She could never imagine her mother giving up Tony. There was also a niggling worry at the back of her mind about the Doctor. She still had not heard from him and was getting a little worried. “Hippolyta, we’ll do what we can. Maybe it’s time for you lot to get together again and see if you can work it out? I mean, it’s been two generations. The blokes that were so stubborn and controlling aren’t around any more. The men might be ready to listen to you now.”

Hippolyta looked at her and smiled. “You do shine from the inside. You have such faith. You truly are a holy one, Rose.”

Rose blushed. “Naw, not really. Just got a good sense of people.” Rose smiled at her and sipped her drink. “Would you like to meet the Doctor? He’s a pretty good example that not all blokes are bad,” Rose told her. Hippolyta agreed and they went outside.

The Doctor, unfortunately, had babbled one time too many and was lying on his back with a spear pointed at his groin. He looked over to Rose. “Oh, Rose, there you are! Just in time. I was just explaining to these lovely ladies about the many benefits of bananas and coconuts and they seem to have taken offense. Apparently bananas are considered lewd here. Can you imagine? Who’d find a banana lewd-"

“Silence or you will forever lose the ability to procreate!” one of the angry women shouted at the Doctor.

Rose giggled. “Um, sorry about that. He didn’t mean any harm. He just has this thing about bananas and he sort of has this babbling problem. The Doctor really is smart and a great example of a nice bloke. Aren’t you, Doctor?”

As the Doctor was about to respond, he felt the point of the spear too close so he just nodded his head. Hippolyta commanded the warriors to allow him to rise. He stood up slowly, brushing himself off and walked over toward Rose.

“Doctor, I’d like you to meet Queen Hippolyta. Hippolyta, this is the Doctor.”

“Pleased to meet you, your highness,” the Doctor said and bowed. “Rose has explained that we are here to deliver the Amulet of Omnew to the temple?”

“Yes, I understand Rose’s quest. I am also quite aware of who you are.” Before Hippolyta could say anything else, the ground trembled and a stampede of large animals that looked like a cross between a giraffe and a zebra stampeded into town. On the backs of these animals were men wearing masks.

“Warriors!” shouted Kikeira.

As the men stampeded through town they shot some women with arrows and tried to pull some women onto their mounts. Rose shoved Hippolyta out of the way but an arrow embedded itself in her shoulder. Several of the women screamed and encircled her. Kikeira ran over, pointed to the Doctor and shouted, “It’s his fault! He led them here!”

“No, no, no!” the Doctor shouted. Several of the women charged at him with spears and swords drawn. Rose shouted and tried to make her way over to him, but she was pulled into Hippolyta’s house along with the wounded queen. The Doctor backed away from the women and ended up amidst the stampeding horde of men and felt himself hefted up as the men fled the village.

After being carted off like a sack of grain to the market, the Doctor felt the stampeding animals slow and stop. The Doctor was shoved off the animal and landed in a heap on a hay covered road. He looked up to see men wearing masks dismounting and dragging screaming and struggling women with them. The women were being thrown into a barn-like structure. The Doctor stood up and brushed himself off.

“Who are you?” one of the men asked while holding a spear.

“Blimey! Is all that people on this island know how to do is point a spear at people? No wonder you have no tourism. I’m the Doctor by the way,” the Doctor told them. “And who might you be?”

The man put down his spear and removed his mask. He was a tall, large, well-muscled man with emerald green eyes, shoulder-length, dark brown hair dressed in a brown knee length tunic and brown leather boots. “I am Haukron. What were you doing with the women?”

“Nice to meet you, Haukron! Well, you see, Rose and I had some business with Hippolyta when you and your lot came through pillaging and kidnapping the lovely ladies. Just out of curiosity, why did you? Pillage, I mean,” the Doctor asked, pulling some grass out of his hair.

The man just stared at the Doctor. “You are a foreigner. I’ve heard tales of people from across the sea. You came here with a woman?”

“Yes, Rose. I’m afraid she got left behind when you shot the queen and carried me off. Not very nice of you to shoot the queen. They’re a bit miffed at you.”

“Hippolyta was injured? I see.” Haukron said, looking off into the distance. “That’s going to change things. Well, Doctor, you should be thanking me. They would have killed you.”

“Maybe, maybe not. We’ll never know now will we,” the Doctor answered his voice laced with anger. “Why did you do this? Exactly what is your problem with the women?”

Haukron snorted and told the Doctor of the tale of how the men and women became separate tribes. His side of the story was a bit different than Hippolyta’s tale. He told the Doctor that when the men returned the women immediately rejected them out of anger for being left behind. His forefathers told him that the women were spiteful and ungrateful for the men who went off to protect them, refused to offer them any form of comfort and stubbornly refused to listen to reason. 

“So you see Doctor, all women care about is themselves. They are selfish creatures who share nothing with anyone other than women. If you traveled here with a woman and they have her now, I’m sorry for you. They will corrupt her and turn her heart to stone.”

“You’re wrong. Rose is the most loving and compassionate person I know. I’m betting there are a lot more women like her in that village than you give credit. Anyway, if you hate them so much, why go to all the trouble of kidnapping them?” the Doctor asked.

“Hate them? We don’t hate them. They need guidance and discipline. Only then can we live in peace. Our tribes need each other to survive. This is not disputed.”

The Doctor sighed. Now he understood what Rose had telepathically communicated to him. This wasn’t going to be easy.


	42. Love Is Not In The Air

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor went to the Planet Gilder to find the Amazons. Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, was shot in an attack on the village by masked men. One of her guard, Kikeira blamed the Doctor and subsequently he was taken away by the masked men. Rose is still with the Amazons while the Doctor is with the men.

After spending the day with the men in their village, it was obvious to the Doctor they were just as stubbornly inflexible and independent as the women. Their attitude toward the women was exceedingly intolerant and almost resentful. The Doctor felt the need to intervene several times on behalf of the women captives who were being dragged through the village and passed around like property. The Doctor was challenged more than once for defending the women’s rights and more than once he ended up in the dirt with a sore jaw. 

By the end of the day, he realized that there were indeed several men who understood the need to compromise and wanted to at least try and listen to the Amazons' opinions. The problems were numerous. Much of it boiled down to the history of the initial separation and attitude of the returning warriors along with a need to teach each side how to relate with each other and build relationships.

The Doctor sighed. “Blimey, this is a mess.” 

He looked up at the night sky and thought about Rose. He closed his eyes and focused on her. She was asleep but aware of him, and he slipped into her dream. He found himself on a beach with fine, powdery, white sand. He sank into the sand as he walked down along the shore, inhaling the scent of salt and the sea and enjoying the relaxing sound of the waves washing ashore. He brought his hand up to his eyes to shade them from the glare of the sun and found Rose lying on a lounge chair under the shade of a large fuchsia colored umbrella. She was wearing a bright blue bikini with large white sunglasses sipping some orange and red tropical drink in a tall glass. He shuffled his way through the sand and sat down on an empty lounge chair next to her.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked as he reached over and snatched her cocktail. “Tuitti Fruitti Tonga, our favorite cocktail!”

She grinned and looked over at him, her sunglasses slipping down her nose. “So, how goes it with the blokes?”

The Doctor took a huge gulp of the drink and set it down in the sand and ran his hands through his hair and exhaled. “About as good as could be expected, I s'pose.”

“Meaning they’re not willing to budge on this whole control issue?”

He turned to her with an aggravated look on his face. “It’s not all about control, you know. Some of it’s about the women being demanding and unsympathetic. They need to give in a little on this and be a tad bit more sensitive to what the men need and want. A bloke needs a chance.”

Rose whipped off her sunglasses and glared at him. “A chance! Do you know what they’re doing to women they kidnap! They’re locking them up with some bloke who wins a contest for the rights to own her. She’s treated like a slave! Not allowed to go out without permission. Forced to be a maid and a cook and a sex slave!”

“Whoa, stop right there!” The Doctor held his hand up. “They wouldn’t be at this stage if the women wouldn’t treat them with such derision and disrespect at these mating ceremonies. They sit there and make rude comments about them in front of the whole group. They insist that men are useless and no better than rutting boars. Then, they go back to their village and never even tell a bloke when he’s a dad. These men never even meet their daughters and aren’t allowed to be a father to them.”

“Oh, yeah, you think it’s easy for a woman to give up her son!” Rose yelled back. “Do you know what they went through when the blokes went off to war? They abandoned them! These women had to teach themselves everything! 

"While the men were off fighting some stupid war for someone else, the women were defending themselves and their homes and then the disease came and took their sons. They had to bury them, alone. Then these mindless blokes come back and pretend none of it happened! They expect the women to wait on them hand and foot and thank the returning warriors for abandoning them!” Rose shouted, now standing up, her eyes sparking with anger.

The Doctor also stood up and stepped closer, the oncoming storm evident in his eyes. “Yeah, well, what about the men and what they went through. Did the women ever bother to think about what it was like for the men leaving their families behind to go off and fight in some war far, far away! What about all the death and destruction they faced on a daily basis with the only thought that kept them going was to come home to their family! 

"And what they find when they come home, not a loving family and a peaceful life! No, they get a kick in the arse!” he shouted into Rose’s face. Lightning cracked in the darkening sky, and the sea was whipped up, and huge waves were ravaging the shoreline. Both of them stopped and looked at each other. “What are we doing?” the Doctor asked as lightning crashed close by.

Rose jumped and threw her arms around him. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want to fight. I just want to help these people and get this task done.” Rose hugged him tightly.

“Rose, what’s happening to us?” he asked softly. They stared into each other’s eyes and leaned their foreheads together. “We’ve got to try and be neutral.”

Rose nodded. “Right, can’t take sides. We have to teach them how to talk to each other and learn how to share their lives, be parents together, be nice to each other and well date.”

The Doctor looked at Rose. “Date? I have to teach them how to date?” he asked wincing.

Rose ran her fingers through his hair, smiling softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll think of something. Um, maybe you need to use one of those romantic adventures we watched during movie night. You know, like The African Queen. Katharine Hepburn is this strong, independent woman and Humphrey Bogart is a strong, manly man. They have to learn to respect each other and work together and fall in love. 

"The two of them cling to each other and love the adventure and each other. Bit like us, really.” They grinned at each other.

“Then there’s always The Princess Bride. It’s a good story about true love. Wesley being this bloke who never gives up and goes through all sorts of stuff for his beloved Buttercup.”

“Princess Bride! I love Princess Bride!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Brilliant films, both of them. Too bad we don’t have a copy to show them here. Course, that might a bit too advanced for them. Pity, really."

“You could tell them about them like they’re real stories. Tell them they’re revered where we’re from,” Rose suggested.

The Doctor smiled at her and caressed her face. “You are so brilliant. I know I don’t tell you that enough,” he told her softly, and then thoroughly snogged her. When they eventually pulled away, he looked deeply into her eyes as the stormy sky turned into a moonlight night with an enormous moon rising out of the ocean almost like it was rising from the sea’s murky depths. They turned and gazed at the moon’s reflection dancing on the waves. “I miss you,” he whispered into her ear. “It’s been forever since we engaged in sexual intercourse,” he told her softly with longing.

Rose burst out into giggles. “You are such an alien. Do you have to call it that?” she asked, grinning.

“Well, that’s what it is. Would you prefer shagging?”

“I’d always prefer shagging you,” she answered with a sexy smirk.

He grinned back at her. “Well, if we can stay healthy and injury free…” he suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows.

She hugged him and looked up at him with a smile. “You have so been spending time with the blokes!” she told him, with a giggle. “Well, we just have to make it through all of this Amazon stuff. I’ll work on Hippolyta but it won’t be easy. The Amazons are all riled up after the attack. I’m locked up in a room in her home.”

“You’ll find a way. Remember, you’re the holy one, part of their legend. Use that to your advantage.”

“It feels wrong though.” Worry dampened her expression.

Before the Doctor could say anything, he felt himself being pulled away. “Rose, I have to go. I’ll see you soon.” He kissed her and opened his eyes to find Haukron shaking him and he was surrounded by a group of men.

“Doctor, this is Afopolis, our leader. You will speak to him about the women.”

“Hello, Afopolis, what might I do for you today?” the Doctor asked with a charming grin.

Afopolis stepped forward. “One of the men was captured while hunting. He was questioned, tied up and left hanging from a tree. The women told him to deliver a message. They say the attack against them, kidnapping of their people and the injury of their queen is an act of war. They say you are consort of the holy one and have come to destroy us all and as long as you are here and the kidnapped women are not returned, there will be no peace. Is it true that the holy one has arrived? Are you her consort?” Afopolis asked.

“Consort of the holy one? Well, I don’t know if I’d say that. I mean, Rose is lovely and brilliant and all but I don’t know if holy is ….” The Doctor stopped as Haukron pulled out a knife and pointed it at his chest. “Yes, well, now that you mention it, Rose and I are here on a bit of a task which sounds suspiciously like the legend of the holy one. Simple thing really. All we came to do was pick up an amulet and deliver it to a temple. That’s all. No death, destruction or anything else.” the Doctor raised his hands in the air, staring at the knife.

“The legend says the holy one’s arrival heralds the merging of the tribes or the doom of us all which is why she travels with her consort who is an ancient and cunning warrior capable of the destruction of all things. We can’t allow the women to persuade her to decide against us. You must make things right.”

The Doctor stared at him for a moment, and an idea started to form in his big Time Lord brain. “Well, yes, of course we have to make things right but you see, that’s where you and your lot have to make some effort. Rose, the holy one, wants to reunite the tribes but there’s a problem. You see, both tribes have to make an effort to understand and respect each other. For instance, where we’re from, men court the women and show them how much they like them and the women, well they choose who they want to date.”

Afopolis stared at him confused. “What does court and date mean?”

“Oh, blimey, this is going to take some time,” the Doctor muttered, running his hand through his hair. “Look, it means you meet this female you take a liking to and start chatting with her, walking with her and ask to spend time with her to get to know her better. Understand?”

Afopolis looked at him with no comprehension. “In the old days, matings were arranged by the eldest male in the house. He decides who his daughter, sister or grandchild should belong to and she moves to her new man’s house. The man provides shelter, food and protection and the woman makes a home, cooks, comforts and bears children. She does not hunt, fight, make wars or work the fields. That is man’s work.”

“Yes, but times change, and all of you must change, men and women. You must learn that women are capable of more things, just as they must learn to respect you and work with you.”

“The old ways worked until the women turned evil,” one of the men shouted out.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “They didn’t turn evil. The men left to go to war, and they learned to take care of everything while you were gone. They got a bit miffed at you and when the men came back and wanted everything the same, well, that’s when things went to pot, old man. You have to learn how to talk to them not at them. Just like they need to learn to listen to you and be more trusting.”

Afopolis just stared at the Doctor. “How can we do this? Even if we agreed to accept some changes, accept such independence, they will not. I do not understand how this could work,” Afopolis stated, sounding a bit defeated.

“Tell you what, I’m going to bring in help. I know just the man for the job. He could charm the spears right out of those Amazons’ hands and he will teach you and your men how to do the same. The women will be so impressed with your courting skills, it will be easy peasy lemon squeezy to persuade them to give this a shot.” After some discussion and deliberation, the men agreed to allow the Doctor to leave so he could bring back help.

dwdwdwdwdw

 

The TARDIS materialized in the lush garden behind the Keeper’s grand house. The Doctor threw open the doors and bounced out into the breezy, sunny garden. He looked up at the house as unpleasant memories washed over him. He tried to push away the feelings of resentment at the pain the whole Cerva affair had caused both he and Rose. He marched up to the doors leading from the garden into the sun room. Before he made it to the steps, the Keeper, otherwise known as Jack, dramatically opened the doors. He stared at the Doctor in disbelief and then a grin lit his face.

“Doctor Sexy Pants! Back for more good times?” Jack asked with a wink. He looked around the Doctor. “Where’s my gorgeous Rose?”

The Doctor shook his head. “Blimey, some things never change. I swear, Jack, if everything you said was not laced with flirting and illicit suggestions, the multiverse would collapse.”

Jack laughed. “So where’s Rose, or are you here for a little intergalactic booty call on the side,” he asked with a wink.

“Rose is otherwise indisposed at the moment, and I’m here because Rose and I promised we’d come back for you. I told you once we had our TARDIS in order, I’d come back and help you escape your confinement to this place,” the Doctor told him, looking around at the house.

Jack’s smile slipped and he stared with his piercing blue eyes with all seriousness at the Doctor. “You’re really here to get me out,” he said softly, almost with disbelief. “Do you really think you can?” he asked, almost unwilling to believe it was possible.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” the Doctor responded. Jack ran up and hugged the Doctor lifting him off the ground. He tried to kiss him but the Doctor pulled back avoiding him. “Oi! Watch it!” the Doctor complained, grinning. Jack pulled back and smiled back at him.

“Right then, we have to make arrangements to keep this place secure when your gone. Where’s your central controls?” the Doctor asked as they walked together inside. Jack pointed him toward the library where he pulled out a book and a wall disappeared revealing an intricate control room which monitored everything in the Reserve. While Jack packed up his belongings and made arrangements for the house to be closed, the Doctor made a few changes so that the Reserve could be monitored remotely and if there was any alarms for anything going amiss within the Reserve, they would be redirected to the TARDIS.

When Jack walked out with a duffel bag and a backpack, warmth filled the Doctor. “Are you ready, Jack?”

Jack turned around and looked at the house and then back at the Doctor. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been stuck here for fifty years. I feel like a prisoner about to be paroled. I don‘t care where we go as long as its away from here." As they were walking out, he asked the Doctor, “So, how’s this gonna to work?”

“Well, we’re going to try walking you into the TARDIS first.” 

“And if that doesn’t work?" he asked, his pace slowing. "I gotta tell you, Doc, last time I tried to leave, it was a bit like falling into a volcano. I mean, I‘ll be the first to admit that I’m hot stuff, but I‘d rather not prove it by spontaneous cremation.”

“First, don’t call me Doc. B, I have a back up plan just in case plan alpha doesn’t work.”

Before Jack could respond, they arrived at the TARDIS. Jack stopped and stared at it and turned to the Doctor. “Police Public Call Box?” he asked with a questioning look.

“Yep! It’s a disguise. My original TARDIS had this chameleon circuit that broke in 1963 London and got stuck as a blue police box. The Police Boxes in this universe are green so we asked our lovely TARDIS here to mimic it and Rose and I broke the chameleon circuit so she’d stay this way. Isn’t it brilliant!” the Doctor explained, patting the door.

“You broke the chameleon circuit that lets you blend in and kept it as something that would stick out just about everywhere?” Jack stated with a smile, shaking his head. “No one would ever accuse you two of being boring.”

“Right, enough chit chat. Let’s get cracking then, shall we?” the Doctor asked and pulled out his key and opened the door. He picked up Jack’s bags and carried them in. He turned around and watched Jack slowly make his way to the door.

Jack brought his hand up to the entryway but just as he tried to enter, something threw him backwards. He landed with a thump in the grass. “It’s not going to work.” His face fell and tears glistened in his eyes.

“Nonsense!” the Doctor admonished him. “It’s just going to take a bit of jiggery pokery. Don’t go wander off. I’ll be back in a jiff.” The Doctor ran back into the Tardis and shut the door. He ran some calculations and determined that there was definitely some kind of temporal instability field around Jack. It was almost like a time lock fixing him to this place in space. He theorized, even if there was no planet here, Jack would not be able to move beyond a certain radius of these universal coordinates.

He ran back outside and found Jack lying on the ground, staring at the sky. “Anyone who wants to leave the planet, please stand up and kindly do not move. Your devilishly handsome and clever pilot will be with you shortly,” the Doctor announced and winked at Jack before turning around and dashing back into the TARDIS.

Jack stood up and watched the TARDIS in anticipation. A gust of wind hit him as the time ship dematerialized. He waited and nothing happened. He began worrying that something went wrong and he would never escape when he felt a shift in the atmosphere around him. He blinked his eyes and couldn’t believe it. He felt more pressure and panic as he was sure his atoms were about to be ripped apart and then suddenly it stopped. He was panting and perspiring, and his eyes were tightly shut. He opened them slowly and stared around him in awe and disbelief. He found the Doctor leaning against a control console, tossing his sonic up in the air cockily.

Jack grinned and walked over to him. “You, you did it! I’m in your ship. It’s bigger on the inside,” he told the Doctor in amazement as he looked around. He turned back to the Doctor “How? I mean, am I back to normal?”

“Welll, not exactly. You were somehow locked into a particular set of universal coordinates. I merely broke the tether that was holding you there. There is a bit more going on with you, though. You see, time doesn’t flow normally around you, and you seem to be permeated with a form of energy I’ve never seen before. It’s a bit similar to a form of artron energy, but it doesn’t behave like artron energy. Sort of puts you in a bit of a temporal stasis.”

Jack’s grin slipped a bit. “So, there’s nothing you can do?”

“Not yet at least. Look at the bright side, you’re free of the Reserve and off on a new adventure!" The Doctor flipped a switch and ran around the Time Rotor pausing once. "Oh, and you’re with me and I’m a genius, so if anyone can figure out what’s happening with you , it’s me.” The Doctor punched in the coordinates to return to Gilder.

Jack grinned and shook his head. “At least it won’t be dull,” he murmured, before walking over and looking at the controls. “So, Doctor, we heading to pick up Rose?”

“Sort of, yeah.”

“You gonna tell me where she is?”

“The planet Gilder. I’m afraid Rose and I got caught up in a bit of conflict, and she’s being held by Amazons,” the Doctor told him quickly.

“Amazons? As in a population of only women?” Jack asked, smirking.

“Uh, yeah, now that you mention it, which means that we have to educate the male population residing in the adjacent village how to relate to them. The two groups had a falling out a couple of generations ago. It‘s a bit of a problem.”

Jack grinned and leaned against the console, watching the Doctor. “Gilder, that’s a tropical climate, right?” The Doctor nodded. “So, we have scantily-clad Amazon women who are brassed off at the men and a village of scantily clad men who are a bit lonely and want to get friendly with the ladies. That about it?”

“Yep, you could say that. You up to the challenge of teaching a few blokes about flirting and, you know, dating?”

Jack grinned brightly “Don’t worry, Doc. Doctor Love is open for business,” Jack told him with a wink.


	43. The Price of Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor brought Jack back to the village of the men and Rose is still with the Amazons.

Rose stood with her arms folded in front of her by the window in her quarters staring out into the garden. She left the plate of food that had been brought to her all but untouched. Her thoughts focused on the Doctor and why He'd been yanked out of her dream so abruptly. Then there was their argument; and how she would persuade the Amazons to soften their attitude toward the men. The door opened and Rose turned to see Sashi, her black hair braided and pinned upon her head dressed in a more formal styled sarong. Sashi was one of the Amazons she and the Doctor had first met upon their arrival and seemed to support Rose.

“Good day to you, Holy One. I’m sorry you were confined, but it was for your own safety. Many here are suspicious of strangers and since you arrived with a man, well… it was better for you to be confined to this room.”

“It’s all right. I understand. How’s Hippolyta?” Rose asked.

Sashi smiled. “The wound was not serious. She is recovering and has asked for you.” Sashi gestured for Rose to follow her. After walking down a long hall to a set of simple white doors with a golden medallion embedded in the center of each, Sashi opened one and slipped in leaving Rose standing surrounded by three guards, all of whom stared at her with narrowed eyes, a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The door opened and Sashi waved her into the room. As Rose entered, she could hear raised voices.

“How can you even consider letting her in here! She was with that betraying pig of a man! She walked into our village with him and for all we know, she helped planned the attack! I don’t trust her. I say we beat the truth out of her!”

“No Kikeira. She is the Holy One,"Hippolyta insisted. "I will not bring further danger on our people by your rash and reckless reactions. I have seen no evidence that either Rose or her consort had anything to do with the attack. This is not the first attack on our village and it will not go without retribution against those who assaulted us and stole our people. If you can’t act calmly and rationally in this, I’ll find someone who can.” Hippolyta's voice was firm and direct. Kikeira glared at Rose with malice.

The animosity worried Rose. She understood their suspicion and knew she had an immense task ahead of her to convince them she wasn't a threat. She cleared her throat and stilled her nervous fidgeting. “Sorry for interrupting but Sashi said you wanted to see me," Rose said with care. She faced Hippolyta and continued with a strong voice. "I understand you're suspicious but neither the Doctor or I had anything to do with what happened. We’ve never even met these men that attacked. Your people weren’t the only ones they took. They took my Doctor as well. Him and me are a bit connected and I know he hasn’t been treated the best. Those men need to learn some manners.” Rose crossed her arm and tilted her chin up in defiance.

“What do you mean connected?” Kikeira demanded. She stormed over to Rose, glaring and her her fingers wrapped around the leather wrapped hilt of a dagger secured to her hip. Rose didn't flinch and met her angry gaze.

“I mean that we share feelings.”

Sashi stepped forward. “She is the holy one. You know the story Kikeira. You should not be disrespectful. She is here to help us.”

“Don’t be a fool," Kikeira growled. "She’s here to destroy us with her pretty one, the destroyer of all things. I won’t stand here while she destroys us all!” 

“That’s enough, Kikeira!" Hippolyta's raised voice left no doubt she was in command even as she lounged on her bed. "This is not Rose’s fault nor is it her consort‘s. I cannot believe that Afopolis would purposely violate the covenant between our tribes. There is something more happening here and I intend to find out what it is.”

“How can you say that? They’re men! They don’t care about the covenant," Keikera insisted, her hand grasping her dagger. "All they know is domination and taking what they want. They took and killed our people and would have killed you. We need to show them the repercussions for attacking us. We need to retaliate ten fold on them!”

Hippolyta stared coldly at Kikeira. “You have done nothing but talk of making war, just like a man. Is that what you want? To go to war just like our forefathers did, abandoning the other members of our people? That’s not what our mothers wanted and not how we were raised. I will not have you drag us into your personal vendetta. Nor will I sit here while you try and usurp the will of the council. I think you’ve said enough. Now go before I have you confined.”

Kikeira directed her angry gaze at Rose before storming out of the room. Sashi walked up to Rose. “Do not trouble yourself, Holy One. Kikeira is filled with anger. Her mother ran off in the night with a man and Kikeira blames all men for her mother’s loss.”

“Rose, come sit with me,” Hippolyta said from her bed, propped up with pillows. She smiled warmly and held out her hand. Rose walked over and several of the women parted to let her through. She sat down on the bright yellow dressed bed next to Hippolyta. “Sashi is right. Kikeira is angry." Hippolya inclined her head. "She does not understand why her mother would leave for a man. But not everyone feels as Kikeira. Some would like to have a more amicable relationship with the men. This is why your task is so great.”

“It does seem a bit impossible,” Rose lamented, curling up against the pillows.

Hippolyta took Rose’s hand and brought Rose's palm up to her cheek. “But you are strong and clever and I know that you are here to help us.”

Rose looked into her eyes and felt Hippolyta's warmth and confidence. “Thanks Hippolyta. So, you know the leader of the men wouldn’t authorize the raid?” Rose asked, curling her hand back into her lap and thinking Hippolyta's gesture oddly intimate but wondered if it was a cultural thing.

“I am sure of it. Afopolis may be arrogant and pig headed, but he would not risk violating the covenant. He would never authorize a direct assault on the city.”

“So, maybe he has some men that are unhappy and feel strong like Kikeira,” Rose mused looking off across the room. She turned to Hippolyta. “Maybe it’s time we called a summit to discuss what happened and find a solution.”

Several of Hippolyta’s council murmured their concern. One woman by the name of Hedra stepped forward. “A summit sounds reasonable but it could also be a trap. A meeting of the leaders of our tribe provides the men with an opportunity to cause our people great harm. The council cannot support anything that could damage our people.”

“Well, you could bring plenty of people with us," Rose suggested. "I mean, don’t make it so structured and formal. Why can’t everyone just sit around and have a meal with each other and just talk?” Rose asked.

The council stared at her as if she was mad. Sashi stepped forward. “If the Holy One says we should try this, we should. We will have our guard there to protect us. Hasn’t Kikeira herself always said we are stronger and smarter? If this is true, then even if the men try to attack us, our guard should keep us safe.”

Hedra spoke. “And does the Holy One have a suggestion for when and where this should occur,” she asked, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

“Yeah, I do actually. Since this incident, all the mating ceremonies have been cancelled and the next one was due at the next full moon, yeah?” Rose swallowed hard. The Council didn't trust her. And she could feel the tension in the room crackling against her skin. Even Hippolyta quieted.

“Yes,” Sashi replied, beginning to smile and understand what Rose was getting at.

“Seems to me that would be a good time. Instead of the mating stuff, you could talk and well if everything goes well…” Rose suggested, leaving it open ended for them to draw their own conclusions and saying a silent prayer this would work.

“But the men will get the wrong idea!” one of the council members asserted. Rose bit her lip. She couldn't blame them for feeling that way but she had to persuade them.

“Not if you make everything clear ahead of time," Rose countered. "You have to tell them no more matings until they talk to you and explain themselves. I mean surely you realize you hold the key to all of this.” Rose looked at them expectantly but they just stared at her in complete incomprehension.

Rose sighed. “Look, the men want you. I mean, they do tend to have one thing they think about all the time.” Rose told them expectantly.

Finally, one of the women chirped in, “Fighting and screaming for their meals!”

Rose just stared and could not believe how clueless they were. Then Sashi stepped forward. “The Holy One means sex and having children.”

Rose grinned. “Yes! They want families. They want you to love them and tell them they’re manly men and they rock your world,” Rose emphasized. They still stared at her. “Look, let me give you an example. When the Doctor and I met and he was Mr. ‘I don’t do domestic’" She rolled her eyes. "He was all loud, arrogant and rude to everyone. But you see, deep down, he wanted a family and someone to be there with him. He was real lonely. He may be this super intelligent and powerful bloke, but it’s all meaningless without a hand to hold.”

“How can you be so sure the men feel that way? Maybe they're nothing like your Pretty One,” one of the counsel members retorted.

“It’s not just the Doctor. My Dad is the same way. He had all this wealth and power but he was so lonely. It meant little to him without someone to share it all with." Rose shook her head. "You see, where I’m from, men and women live and work together. Women can do anything a man can do. Sometimes, the men are even the ones staying home and tending the children and keeping the house. 

"I’m not saying that will happen here, but you have to start somewhere. This meeting or summit or ceremony or whatever you want to call it is just a start. You need to learn to talk to each other, spend more time doing things other than mating and fighting. Haven’t any of you ever wanted to just go for a walk and talk with a man or have him bring you flowers? What about raising your kids together? You can’t tell me it’s not hard handing your sons off never to see them again.”

There was much murmuring among the council members and Hippolyta turned to Rose. “We must discuss your suggestion. You have presented us with unique ideas that must be carefully considered.” She leaned over and gently cupped Rose’s face and kissed her on the lips. Rose flushed. Hippolyta smiled and caressed Rose’s cheek. “The pretty one is very lucky to have such a mate. I hope he realizes what he has and shows you the love and respect you deserve; otherwise, someone else might be tempted to sweep you away and covet you.” Hippolyta's eyes sparkled and she turned to Sashi. “Sashi, please escort Rose to the garden while the council and I consider her suggestions.”

As Rose was leaving, she felt Hippolyta’s eyes on her. Hippolyta was a gorgeous, smart woman. In some ways, she reminded Rose of the Doctor with how she listened to ideas, was a good problem solver and had a certain charisma that Rose couldn't deny. Rose's face heated. She didn't want Hippolyta to get the wrong idea. Not that she didn't enjoy the kiss, she did. And she felt the draw of Hippolyta and why her people were so devoted to her. But she and the Doctor were forever. Rose groaned quietly to herself about how complicated things had become.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

 

The Doctor walked through the village with his jacket casually hanging over his shoulder. He smiled at some of the young boys who were playing a game of football with a beige ball made of tightly wound twine which rolled up to him. He kicked the ball back to one of younger boys. It wasn’t long before he heard raucous male laughter from the center of the village.

As he approached, he saw a group of men lounging around Jack his khaki’s rolled up to his knees with a white dress shirt unbuttoned giving everyone a glimpse of his well defined and tanned abs. He gestured with his hands as he told some fantastic story which ended with him running naked from some wild creature. Several of the men howled with delight. The Doctor shook his head and thought about how Jack Harkness could charm a hungry carnivorous horse to not only give him a ride but probably gallantly gallop him to some beautiful prince or damsel in distress to show him gratitude.

Jack slapped one of the men on the back and winked at another man as he jogged over to the Doctor. “Hey Doc! How’s it going?”

The Doctor sighed. “Don’t call me Doc. I think I have Afopolis in agreement to meet with the Hippolyta if she’ll agree to it.”

“That’s great!”

“And you? How goes it with the men and your courting lessons?”

“Courting lessons?” Jack asked, with a chuckle. “You are so cute,” Jack smiled, as they continued to walk through the village.

“You know what I mean,” the Doctor groused.

“Oooo we are grumpy today. Don’t worry Doctor, I’ll have you and Rose back together in no time.”

“I’m not grumpy and so what if I do miss her? I know she’s all right. She and I are a bit telepathic. Just haven’t had time for a proper conversation is all,” he told Jack, pouting a bit.

“Well then, I suggest you give her a telepathic nudge cause I think the men are starting to see the light; or maybe it's the nookie at the end of the tunnel.”

“Really? That’s brilliant news! So what did you tell them exactly?”

Jack grinned broadly. “I explained all the benefits to treating the ladies with a bit more understanding, sweet talking and making them feel like the goddesses they are. Most of them got it. A few conservative stick-in-the-muds stormed off and a few more decided to practice their moves on me, not that I’m complaining. After being locked away all those years, I could use some young, hot native love.”

“Oh stop it!” the Doctor admonished him. “That’s not what we’re here for.”

“Don’t worry Doctor! They have motivation to make this work. I just wouldn’t expect it to happen over night." Jack, waved at another native they passed. "They still have a lot to overcome. They’ve been taught since birth that the women are selfish, untrustworthy harridans. On the surface, they know they have to work for what they want but deep down… It’s gonna take some time.”

“Yeah, I know,” the Doctor responded absently, staring out into the jungle.

Jack gripped his arm and stopped him. “Don’t worry Doctor, we're making progress. This is a good thing we‘re doing here and can’t be solved over night.”

The Doctor nodded. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Doctor, about the raid--did anyone explain that to you? No one seems to want to talk about it.”

The Doctor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh that. Yeah they explained." He heaved a sigh. "Apparently, a few of the men were out hunting and were talking about their sons. One man was perturbed and thought he had a daughter. He wanted to meet her. Another felt that the woman he was with that night would have come with him if she wasn’t being influenced by the other women. One thing led to another and the next thing you know, spontaneous raid on the Amazon’s village. None of them planned to hurt anyone but when they made it through the gates and saw the armed guards, they panicked and shot off a few arrows. They weren’t even aiming for Hippolyta.”

Jack whistled. “What did Afopolis have to say about it?”

The Doctor snorted. “He said there would be a punishment. He never elaborated on what that would be. I do know that he was concerned Hippolyta was injured.”

“Those Amazons are going to demand blood if things are as intense as they appear to be,” Jack said, shaking his head. “Maybe you and Rose need to have a little telepathic tete a tete? She really needs to get the Amazons on board for this to work. You think she can use her holy powers to make it happen,” Jack joked. wiggling his fingers in the air.

The Doctor glared at him “I think you should get back to the men and continue working on their relationship skills.”

Jack smiled. “Not a problem, Doctor Love will head on back to his disciples.” Jack slapped the Doctor on the bum and headed back to the village.

The Doctor put his head in his hands and looked up at the sky. “You had to send us into the middle of the battle of the sexes didn’t you? The impossible task for the impossible man, Jack Harkness. I’m never gonna live this down." He sighed and scuffed his trainers in the dirt as he paced. "I purposely invited Jack Harkness to teach a bunch of lonely, horny blokes about seduction and romantic relations. What is the universe coming to?” he muttered, looking for a quiet spot to connect to Rose.

As Rose sat in the garden, mindlessly running her fingers over the petals of a flower, she felt a soft warm feeling come over her. She smiled as she realized it was the Doctor. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

She soon found herself in the TARDIS with the Doctor and ran over to wrap her arms around him as he hugged her tight. “Oh I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her neck. She pulled back and threw herself at him again snogging the breath out of him. When she pulled back a third time, he grinned. “Now that’s more like it! We should do this more often.”

“I was so worried when you disappeared so quickly last time and then I didn’t hear from you. Is everything all right? Are you all right?” Rose asked, trailing her fingers through his hair.

“Everything’s brilliant! Better actually, as I think we’ve made enormous progress with the men.”

“We?” she asked, arching a brow in worry.

The Doctor fidgeted and tugged at his ear. “I may have sort of gone for some help?”

“What do you mean gone for some help? We’re on an island?” Then it hit her. “You took the TARDIS and left! Without me!” She pinched his arm and he flinched.

“Kind of, yeah. Rose, I had to! They weren’t listening to me and what I do know of this relationship stuff and dating and romancing," he insisted in a high pitched voice. "I needed help,” he whined.

“What do you mean you don’t know about that stuff? You got me didn’t you? Help from who?” 

“Uh, you may recall that we made a certain Captain a promise back on Crescere.”

Rose’s eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. “Jack! You went back for Jack!” Her smile faded a bit. “Without me.”

“I’m sorry but I had to, and honestly Rose, it all worked out brilliantly. Well, that is if you ignore his blatant flirting and who knows what else he’s been up to with the men.”

Rose giggled. “Oh that must be rich. There’s you who spent the last two regenerations trying to stop Jack’s flirting and now you have to not only keep your mouth shut, you have to encourage it!" Rose howled with laughter. "Oh what I wouldn’t give to be fly on that wall."

“Laugh all you want, it worked." The Doctor insisted, pouting only slightly. "The men have agreed to a meeting with the women. They want to explain the attack. It was something planned by a couple of of the men who wanted to find one’s daughter and another’s well I suppose you’d call her his lover and things got a bit out of hand.”

Rose nodded. “Well, Hippolyta and her council are discussing my suggestions now. I’m trying to convince them to do it the next full moon which is in a few days. What do you think?”

“I knew you could do it,” the Doctor said and leaned on the console next to her. Rose jumped and the Doctor looked at her concerned. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“Something’s touching me,” Rose told him, looking around at the console.

The Doctor chuckled. “Oh, someone’s trying to get you attention. I better let you go. I’ll see you soon.” He kissed her forehead and then pushed out of her mind.

When Rose opened her eyes, Sashi was there smiling. “Forgive me for interrupting your meditation, Holy One. The Council has reached a decision. They have called a gathering to announce to our people that we will meet with the men and demand an explanation for their actions as well as reparations for damage and the return of our people. They will ask you to speak to the people about reuniting the tribes.”

“Me?” Rose asked uneasily.

“Yes. Do not worry, Holy One. There are many of our people who want this. If you speak as passionately to them as you did the Council, I know that you will touch their hearts.”

Rose looked at Sashi. “I hope you’re right. I wish I had your faith.”

“I know this is meant to be and so does Hippolyta. She will be there beside you.”

“And Kikeira?”

“Yes, she will be there as well. May I speak candidly with you?”

“Yes, of course.”

“There is more to Kikeira’s bitterness and anger than resentment of men. You see, Holy One, Kikeira has always been fond of Hippolyta and since you arrived….” Sashi didn’t complete her sentence but it was clear to Rose what she was alluding to.

“Oh Blimey! She‘s in love with Hippolyta and Hippolyta‘s fond of me,” Rose moaned. “This is all messed up! I have the Doctor and I’m not looking for anything with anyone else and honestly, I’m sort of a one Doctor woman.”

Sashi smiled and nodded. “I’m afraid Kikeira does not see this. She sees the way Hippolyta looks at you.”

Rose closed her eyes and sighed. “I know but...look Hippolyta's beautiful and if I wasn't with the Doctor, I don't deny I'd be looking back. But I'm in love with the Doctor. I don’t want people to misinterpret things or to hurt Hippolyta’s feelings or embarrass her.”

“Perhaps the best way to make things clear is to reunite you with the Pretty One. Everyone will see the love for him shining in your eyes.”

“I hope you’re right. I just wish there was a way for everyone to understand now, and in a way that wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings,” Rose said, nervously. There was a movement in the foliage and the sound of footsteps running away. Rose and Sashi looked at each other. “Sashi, someone was eavesdropping. What are we gonna do?”

Sashi's brow furrowed and her brown eyes reflected worry. “What’s done is done. All we can do is move forward and go to the gathering. Don’t worry, Holy One, I will stand with you no matter what happens.” Rose looked at Sashi and all she could think of was how easily this could come crashing down around her.

The people were assembled in the center of the village and Hippolyta, surrounded by the Council, made the announcement of the meeting with the men. Rose and Sashi stood a little off to the side. Eventually, Rose made her impassioned plea to think about the future and how things could be if both the men and women worked together. She told them about Earth, her family and about relationships as well as the benefits of raising families together. She ended her speech by reminding them of their mothers willingness to take a risk to make things better and that they were just as strong if not stronger and could do the same. 

After her plea, Kikeira stepped forward and argued against it and then accused Hippolyta of being emotional and unduly influenced by her feelings for Rose. She hurled vicious accusations at both Rose and Hippolyta. She told everyone that Rose was a harlot sent there to seduce Hippolyta and turn them all over to the men to serve as slaves. There was much unrest in the crowd. A woman Rose had not met before stepped forward. The crowd was silenced. Sashi whispered that it was Kikeira’s mother.

She strode forward and faced her daughter and turned back to the crowd. “Do not let my daughter’s anger with me and her petty jealousy influence you. It is true that I left with a man. We fell in love. I wished to live with him and raise a family. It was not easy and we both made mistakes. We fought and learned and loved together. I am not his slave and he is not mine. We make decisions together. He respects my opinions and wants to hear my thoughts and dreams. The Holy One is telling the truth. It will not be easy but it can be done and the rewards are great. Do not be ruled by your fears. How do you know it won ‘t work if you don’t even try?

Kikeira stepped forward. “Don’t listen to her! She betrayed us and is nothing but a puppet for the men!”

“How do you know?” Sashi asked. “I see no man here controlling her. I see no chains or marks of abuse. What harm will come from listening to the men and seeing if they will listen to us?”

“You stupid, optimistic fool! Everything will come to ruin!” She then turned to Rose and threw a dagger at her. Hippolyta stepped in front of Rose and the dagger embedded itself in her shoulder. She fell to the ground in Rose’s arms.” The crowd gasped. 

"No!" Rose cried out. Several of the guards tackled Kikeira. 

Sashi raced over to Hippolyta and Rose. A healer ran over and looked at the wound. "Hurry! She's losing too much blood!"

Rose heard Kikeira screaming “Nooooo!” as they dragged her off.

Tears poured down Rose's face. She followed as HIppolyta was carried back to her house. Her clothes stained with Hippolyta's blood, Rose paced restlessly outside her door until the healer emerged. She waved Rose inside. Hippolyta's council knelt by her bed. Sashi's dark head bowed in fervent prayer before she looked up at Rose. "Please, Holy One, bless her."

Guilt squeezed Rose's chest. She wasn't the holy person they thought. She couldn't do this. Her hands shook and she stepped toward Hippolyta's pale form lying on the bed. Rose swallowed hard and sat on the bed. She laced her hand with hers.

"Please Hippolyta, we need you to fight." Her breath hitched. "I need you. I know you think I'm this holy person but I'm just a woman like you." Rose squeezed her hand. "You need to be here. So much could change and it seems unfair if you leave now."

Rose sat with her for hours until her eyes fluttered open and a soft smile emerged. "She's awake!" Rose gasped and Sashi slid onto the bed next to Rose. "You did it. The holy one has healed Hippolyta!"

"No," Rose insisted, her face flush with relief and emotion. "It was Hippolyta who did it. She's the strong one." Hippolyta squeezed her hand, her eyelids fluttering closed as the her council whispered praises of thanks. The next day was a whirlwind. Sashi had led Rose back to her room where she collapsed into a dreamless sleep. Sashi came to her the next day and led her back to Hippolyta's chamber where the leader stared morosely at her council.

"Kikiera tried to escape her confinement. She killed one of my guard." Hippolyta's voice was toneless. Rose sat by her side, a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach as Hippolyta continued. "Several of my people attacked her. She will bear the scars of her actions for the rest of her life."

"I'm so sorry, HIppolyta." Rose couldn't help but feel guilt that things with Kikiera boiled over because of her.

"It was not your fault, Holy One. We all bear responsibility for Kikeira." But Hippolyta wouldn't look at Rose. She focused on her Council. "We must proceed with our plans."

Sashi led Rose from the room and hugged her. "Hippolyta is right. None of this is your fault." Rose shook her head.

"If we hadn't come, none of this would have happened." Her shoulders slumped forward and her head ached with knowledge her trip here had been selfish. Both she and the Doctor had only thought of their task and what needed to be done. Not how it would affect Hippolyta or the people on this world.

Sashi squeezed her shoulder. "Kikeira was foolish and jealous. This was not only time she's acted impulsively."

"But it's the only time someone died and she suffered and far worse than when her mother left." Rose's voice was hoarse from guilt and crying.

"Hippolyta and the Council know of her prior acts. So do our people. We cannot allow the tragedy of these events to get in the way of peace," Sashi firmly reminded her.

Rose nodded numbly and allowed Sashi to guide her into the garden. A few of the Council spoke with her of their plans. Hippolyta was too ill to attend. And Rose wondered if it was due more to heartbreak than a flesh wound. The Council insisted Rose be at the meeting and rejoin with her Pretty One. Everything was a blur under the weight of her conscious. She'd have to tell the Doctor. Her heart raced. What if she'd caused a paradox? What if Kikeira played an important role in future events and she'd mucked it up? The next day was stressful and a relief all at the same time. 

She traveled with the women to the site of the meeting. Sashi slipped a wrapped package into Rose's hand. "Sashi, what is this?" 

"What you seek Holy One. Hippolyta trusts you to make things right, that you will make our people whole." Rose swallowed hard and peeked at the contents. Tears pricked her eyes. She shoved it into her pocket for later.

The men had arrived first and made great effort to set up the site. They brought a feast with them along with gifts for the women. Afopolis made a heartfelt speech and offered baskets of food and healing herbs for Hippolyta. The women who had been kidnapped during the raid and so abused during their initial days with the men, had been treated by the Doctor and Jack and were brought forward to Afopolis. He knelt before them and apologized.

All of the men who had taken them and abused them were brought before Afopolis who found them guilty of kidnapping and abuse. They were to be brought before the kidnapped women as an example that the men were serious about making changes.

Sashi led the women's tribe, serving in Hippolyta's place. Rose and Kikeira’s mother walked behind her. Sashi and Afopolis walked up to each other and exchanged words. They walked together and knelt at an altar where they prayed for peace between their tribes. When they arose, they walked over to a table where they sat with their councils. They both spoke of loss, family and the high price both sides had paid over the years. 

Afopolis and Sashi nodded and the meal began and music played. Men and women sat together. Jack walked around and would occasionally nudge the men toward the women. Every once in a while he would whisper something into a man’s ear. The women were charmed by him. He flirted and talked to them with great ease and showed the men how to lavish attention on the women. The Doctor pulled Rose to the side under the glares of the women. 

"Rose." He didn't say anything more as Rose threw her arms around him and wept uncontrollably. He led her away to a quiet area and she poured her heart out to him. She told him about Hippolyta and the attention she lavished on Rose. She told him about the kiss and Kikeira’s jealousy and how Hippolyta was injured again. He pulled her tightly to him and promised her it would be all right. Rose pulled away.

“No, it won’t ever be all right. Someone died and Kikeira's life is ruined. Hippolyta won't even look at me she's so devastated. She wept and looked into the Doctor’s eyes. “It’s my fault. If I hadn't been there, none of this would have happened.”

The Doctor shook his head. “No, Rose. It wasn’t your fault. You were just trying to help them. Hippolyta and her tribe know that. That’s why they’re here today.” He tipped her head up and looked into her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I should have been there with you. I failed you. If anyone should be blamed, it’s me.”

Rose shook her head. “No. You’re wrong.”

“Well, if I’m wrong then so are you. So let’s stop this and agree that we did the best we could and focus on getting them all together and talking.”

Rose nodded. He traced the wound on her cheek with his fingers. “You’re hurt,” he said softly.

“It’s nothin. Just a scratch from when Hippolyta--” She swallowed hard and looked at the ground. The Doctor leaned down and gently kissed her temple.

“We need to finish up here, get the amulet and complete our task so we can go home,” he told her, still touching his head to hers.

Rose reached in her pocket and pulled out the Amulet of Omnew. “You mean this?” she asked.

The Doctor leaned back and looked at the amulet dangling from her hand. "Sashi gave it to me on the way here. She said Hipplyta wanted me to have it." Rose's voice waned thinking how Hippolyta gave her the amulet even after everything that happened.

The Doctor closed her hand around the amulet and safely tucked it away in her pocket.

“Come on. We need to check on Jack. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll get into with both the women and the men here. I can see it now, he’ll be inciting some kind of orgy before the night is over.”

Rose perked up smiling slightly starting to recover from everything that had happened and clung to his arm. After assuring that the two tribes were on their way to reaching an agreement, the three travelers quietly slipped away. After all the drama and stress of retrieving the amulet, the delivery to the temple was completely uneventful Rose fell asleep on the jump seat in the TARDIS as the three of them made their way home.


	44. Life With Jack Is Never Dull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: After the Amazon adventure, the Doctor, Rose and Jack returned home to the manor. Jack is just starting to settle in and find his place. Some slight cursing in this chapt.

Rose awakend nestled in the arms of the Doctor, the morning light streaming into their bedroom through the stained glass window saturating the room in a golden glow. She snuggled closer, her head resting on his shoulder. He hummed his approval and his arms tightened around her.

“Morning,” she said in a sleepy voice.

“Mmmmm,” he answered.

Her hand sneaked out from under the covers and began tracing designs on his bare chest. He grinned. “You ready for round four?” he cheekily asked. She giggled.

“You sure it’s round four? Seems like three and a half to me.”

“Three and half!" he exclaimed. "Well, you obviously weren’t paying attention were you? I’ll have to remedy that!” He rolled over and proceeded to languidly kiss his way down her body starting at her neck. Just as he was about to satisfy his oral fixation by lavishing attention on her full, pert breasts, the door to their room opened and Jack wandered in and plopped down on their bed.

“What do you think you doing!” the Doctor demanded as he brought the sheets up to cover a now giggling Rose.

“Good Morning!” Jack told them quite cheerfully. “Just thought I’d check on you two since I haven’t seen much of you since we got her. Nice place by the way,” he said as he bit into a red apple.

“Out, now!” the Doctor demanded, pointing at the door.

“Awww come on, Doc, there’s nothing to do around here and can I just say this bed is fabulous and way to big for just two people.” Jack directed a sexy smirk at them and bounced on the bed.

“Jaaack!”

Rose peeked out from under the covers the Doctor had hastily thrown over her. “Hi Jack,” she told him, grinning and waving.

“Hey, gorgeous! Lookin' good there. I take it you’ve been getting some therapy from the Doc here.”

Rose giggled. The Doctor glared and snapped at him. “Don’t call me Doc. Out now.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying with two gorgeous naked people in the house,” he told them and rolled off the bed and wandered over to the wall where the parchments for the remaining tasks hung.

“Interesting artwork you have,” he said, examining the parchments. The Doctor sighed and hopped out of bed, grabbing his blue robe which he tied about his waist but not before Jack gave him an appreciative smile.

“Stop it!” he admonished and walked over to stand next to Jack.

“So what gives with this?” Jack asked, nodding toward the parchment.

The Doctor frowned. Rose wrapped a blanket around her and made her way to the bathroom. She stopped and looked at the Doctor. “Go on, tell him. Maybe he can help. He did a great job on Gilder,” Rose told the Doctor as the bathroom door closed behind her.

“Tell me what? You guys in trouble?”

“Of course we’re not in trouble. We’re on a quest of sorts you might say,” the Doctor explained and adjusted a piece of parchment that was hanging crooked on the wall.

“A quest?” Jack asked, looking at him inquisitively.

“Yep!”

“What kind of quest? I mean, is this like looking for some kind of ancient artifacts or is this like a religious thing?” Jack asked, as he leaned against a nearby chair looking at a bit of the Doctor’s chest peeking through the loosely tied robe.

The Doctor tightened his robe, put on his glasses and walked up and studied one particular parchment. “Jack, have you heard of the Eternals?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What is it with you two and the legendary stuff. I mean Daleks then Time Lords and now Eternals.” Jack shook his head and looked back at the Doctor who had a serious expression on his face. “I know that Eternals are a legend passed down on several worlds. Something to do with the creation of the universe. Almost like ancient Earth mythology about Greek and Roman Gods. We’re not talking about creation deities are we?” Jack asked, curiously.

“They’re not legends Jack. They’re as real as you are. They existed before the Time Lords. Now, they’re powerful entities which exist in an alternate state of reality toying with the lesser species for their own amusement, in a constant battle for power and manipulation of the multiverse. This is about the struggle of chaos versus order. It's been going on since the beginning of time and will continue until the end of all things.”

“Is that what happened to me? Did I run into some Eternal battle? Doctor, did they do this to me?” Jack demanded, now pacing across the room.

“I don’t know, Jack. It’s entirely possible.”

“Then they can undo it, right?” The Doctor didn't miss the hint of desperation in Jack's voice.

“Eternals never do anything without a reason or an agenda. They’re supreme manipulators," the Doctor explained. He rubbed at the side of his face scrutinizing Jack. "That being said, there are rules that govern them. They can’t directly take an action but they can manipulate or influence something or someone to achieve their goal. If they manipulated something to make you this way, there’s probably a reason which neither you nor I can see right now. Whatever happened to you Jack, Rose and I will do everything we can to help you. Like it or not, you have an important role to play in the universe be it for order or chaos.”

Jack snorted. “How could someone like me serve the purpose of order. Kind of a walking contradiction aren’t I. I Don’t exactly fit into a nice orderly normal universe,” he said bitterly.

“No, Jack. You’re wrong. I know You’re a good man, a brave man who cares about his friends." The Doctor's tone softened. "Maybe you’re a defender against chaos. Perhaps it’s your choice. As to normal, what is normal anyway? Rose and I aren’t exactly considered normal here and never will be. We’ll be around long after all the people we love and care about are gone,” he told Jack sadly.

Jack looked at him and smirked. “So you’re saying we’re a threesome destined to shack up until….”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Why am I not surprised you take a serious topic and turn it into something lascivious.”

Jack laughed. “Nothin’ wrong with that! So, what do these Eternals have to do with this quest?”

“Well, Rose and I may have sort of annoyed one of the Eternals of Chaos and kept something from him he wanted. It put us in the middle of the struggle for power. The only way out is for us to complete this list of tasks. If we do, they’ve promised to leave us and everyone around us alone.”

“And if you don’t?” Jack asked.

“They’ll torment and follow us and our friends and family forever.”

Jack looked at him seriously and walked over to the scrolls. He nodded toward them. “Not many on this wall. You already complete some?”

“Yes and it wasn’t easy. They’re getting progressively more dangerous and difficult.”

“You need help?” Jack asked.

“You offering?”

“Maybe I am.”

“Thank you, Jack.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Don’t know what I could do to help but, if they’re anything like your last trip, could be fun for me. Besides, I might be up for a bit of adventure and who knows, maybe we can find something or someone who can help me." Jack stared at the papers before turning back to the Doctor. "Maybe I owe you a bit for getting me out of the Reserve." His eyes crinkled with amusement. "Then again, you two are hot.”

“Jack!”

“All right, all right. Take it easy. You know, you’re dead sexy when your angry.”

The Doctor picked up a pillow and threw it at Jack. “Out! We’ll discuss this later.”

#

Later that day, the Doctor was roaming the house looking for Jack. He found Rose in the library on her laptop. “Have you seen Jack?”

“Yeah, he took the car and went into town,” Rose answered absently.

“What do you mean he took the car to go to town?” the Doctor shouted.

“Come on Doctor." Rose rolled her eyes arching an eyebrow at him. "You know he hasn’t been able to go anywhere or been any place around lots of people. He’s been asking if he could do anything so I sent him on errands. He’ll be back later today.”

“In my car," the Doctor gasped. "We don’t even know if he can drive!”

Rose sighed. “Doctor, he used to be a Time Agent, he’s got skills. Besides, I checked him out.”

“Because you’re such a perfect driver,” the Doctor muttered sarcastically, rearranging things on the desk.

“Excuse me? What was that?” Rose asked sharply.

“What? I didn’t say anything," the Doctor retorted. "Just concerned that you sent a randy, trouble magnet into town in my car. I mean, why should I worry that he’s doing who knows what with who in my car,” the Doctor answered, setting down a crystal paper weight hard.

“Don’t you mean our car?” Rose asked, standing up with her hands on her hips and stubborn hard look on her face.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned to face her. “Fine, our car. What if he doesn’t come back? Do you know how much trouble he could cause here?”

“He’ll come back, Doctor. I know him," Rose insisted. "Deep down, he’s a good bloke. He’s just been lonely. You can’t just free him from one prison and put him in another, no matter how nice a place it is,” she told him, walking up to him and taking his hand in hers. “He doesn’t have anyone else but us.”

The Doctor snorted. "And I suppose he won’t wander off too far. Just remember, if he gets into any trouble, you get to explain it to Pete.” the Doctor told her, leaving the library.

At sundown, when Jack still had not returned, Rose was starting to worry as she paced around the garden. Perry approached her.

“Good evening, Rose.”

“Hi, Perry. How are you this evening?”

“Quite well. Thank you for asking. You appear a bit distracted. May I assist you with anything?”

Rose tried to smile despite her concerns over Jack. “Naww, it’s just, I’m worried about Jack. He went into town this morning on errands and I haven’t heard from him and it’s getting late. You don’t think something happened to him do you?”

Perry smiled and walked with her through the new rose garden he planted recently.

“Jack is a rather unique creature. He is like the geranium which blooms come in many different colors and varieties. Many people think of it as common perennial but truly, it is magnificent and adaptable to many climates. Some take it for granted without giving it the respect it deserves. Humans often attribute symbolism or human characteristics to plants and flowers and have affixed the meaning of true friendship with the Geranium. I read once that the potted red geraniums mentioned in a piece of Earth literature _To Kill a Mockingbird_ were meant to symbolize the good that exists in everyone.

Rose smiled. “Jack is a good friend. A bit flirty and promiscuous, but I know if we ever needed him, he’d be there for us. Thanks Perry. I don’t think we tell you enough how glad we are to have met you and have you staying here.”

Before Perry could respond, a male voice signing “Saving All My Love For You” interrupted them. “I believe the object of your concern has returned,” he told her, smiling. “And, he sounds quite merry.”

Rose grinned a bit. “That he does. Guess I better get to him before the Doctor. Thanks again, good night!” Rose raced inside to find Jack dancing through the house singing. She noticed he had new clothes, navy slacks, black doc martins, a light blue dress shirt which was unbuttoned, topped with a long navy coat.

“Hey, Jack, did you have a nice time today?”

“Roooose!“ He ran up and hugged her. “Yes! Well, ya know for twenty first century earth and all. The culture here’s a bit repressed, but you know once you loosen everyone up with a little karaoke, it’s not half bad. Here!” Jack thrust some bags at Rose. “The lady tasked me and I have successfully completed the mission.”

“Thanks, um, Jack, have you been drinking?”

“Only a little,” he explained with unfocused eyes, attempting to pinch his fingers together, grinning and wobbling a bit.

“Right, well, we should probably get you upstairs before the Doctor sees.”

“You’ve finally come to your senses and realized you have this big hunk of Jack here ready, willing and able to fulfill all your needs. Hell, let’s call the Doc and make it a party.”

“Uh, no, Jack. I think you need to get up stairs and sleep off the party you’ve already been enjoying." She stumbled back under his weight. "Just tell me one thing. Where’s the Doctor’s car?”

“Car?” He wrinkled his nose.

“Jack, please tell me you brought the car home and it’s all in once piece. He’s a bit of a nutter over it.”

“Oh yeah! It’s out front. Quaint little archaic piece of Earth history that it is. Oh and you don’t have to thank me for the special something I added. It was my pleasure.”

“Oh Jack,” Rose groaned. “We definitely need to get you upstairs now. Anything else you need to tell me?”

Jack giggled which under any other circumstances Rose would find adorable. At this particular moment, she found it worrisome. “Jack, did something happen while you were out.?”

“Oh, yeah, and he was hot!”

“Besides that, and oh, don’t tell me you told him about us or where and when your from.”

“Course not! I’m a man of mystery. The sex is hotter that way,” he told her and winked.

Rose shook her head and tugged him up the stairs. When they reached his room she tried to pry more information from him. “Okay, anything else other than you went out on a date?”

Jack pulled her mobile out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Yep, some really posh guy called. Fantastic accent and helluva flirt. Said he’d see you tomorrow night for dinner at your Mum’s. Said something about wadding, taunts and cocktowels.” Jack giggled again. “I gotta meet this guy!”

Rose stared at her phone and groaned. She’d almost forgotten about the dinner with Fraunk, her mum and Pete. She sighed, shoved Jack into his bedroom, shut the door and went in search of the Doctor. She mused that the Doctor wouldn’t be half so annoyed with Jack once he found out they were having tea with her mum the next night.

The trip to the Tyler Manor was deathly quiet except for the spontaneous playing of “I’m Too Sexy for This Shirt” being played from the new David Beckham bubblehead now permanently affixed to the dashboard. Well, maybe Jack snorted in the background but Rose wouldn't dare look back under the Doctor's jaw clenching glares. Upon their arrival, the new rhinestone license plate frame sparkled in the sunlight as Jackie greeted them at the door dressed quite stylishly. The Doctor thought to Rose, “What’s up with her? Why the fancy dress for a family dinner?” Rose smiled and thought back, “Jack.” The Doctor rolled his eyes and greeted Jackie with a smile.

“Hello, Sweetheart!” Jackie hugged Rose and then turned to the Doctor and hugged him a bit too long until he was making funny noises. She turned to Jack “And you must be Captain Harkness. Rose has told me all about you. Please come in. Any friend of Rose’s is family here.” Jack took Jackie’s hand and bowed down and gently brushed his lips across her knuckles. Jackie smiled and giggled. The Doctor sternly told Jack, “Stop it!”

Jackie turned to him. “You be quiet. Maybe the charming Captain could teach you a thing or two about manners.” She turned to Jack, and he offered her his arm to escort her in. As they walked away, Jack turned and looked over his shoulder and winked at the Doctor.

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other, and she shrugged and grabbed his hand. “Come on, let’s get in there before Mum decides to hire Jack as her new personal assistant.

Jackie escorted Jack back to a sitting room where Fraunk was standing by a window, hand on his hip while directing his assistant regarding some wedding arrangement.

“Yass, dear assistant, the cristall flauts most be oranged in a design to reflact the bride’s motif.” Fraunk saw the group enter and smiled brightly. “Dahling, Fraunk most dash, the bride and grome half arrived.” He rang off and pocketed the phone. “My loafly bride and grome!” he exclaimed, and sashayed over and kissed both Rose and the Doctor on each cheek. Rose giggled and the Doctor winced and took a few steps back in irritation. He turned to Jack “And who ess this fabulous jauntlemon?” Fraunk asked, looking at Jack with a glint in his eye.

“Jack Harkness, we spoke on the phone yesterday,” Jack explained, shaking his hand and winking at him.

“Stop it,” the Doctor muttered and Rose quietly pinched him on the arm.

“Yack! Oh yass my you are even loaflier in pearson!” Fraunk giggled, his eyes never leaving Jack’s. “Fraunk ess in loaf with this tie . Such punash and Style,” Fraunk told him, as he caressed the tie.

The Doctor looked down and examined his suit and tie and leaned over to Rose. “What am I, marmite?”

Rose made soothing noises and patted him on the arm. “Not everyone has Jack’s charisma and sex appeal.”

“What! I have charisma and sex appeal! I’ll have you know that I have so much sex appeal, I turn heads every time I walk through Torchwood,” the Doctor complained.

“Doctor, I hate to ruin the image but, you turn heads cause they’re wondering if something’s gonna explode or if some alien invasion’s about to happen. They’re not used to seeing us there without it being a crisis.” The Doctor pouted and mumbled something as they walked to dinner which Rose thought sounded like “Time Lords” and “multi temporal orgasms” and “far sexier than some Time Agent.”

“Everything ess going to be fabolous!” Fraunk declared during dinner. Jackie and Pete sat at either end of the table surrounded on either side by Rose, the Doctor, Fraunk and Jack. Jackie had arranged for them to be seated in the formal dining room which was decorated with a white linen table cloth, silver candle holders lit with white candles and the crystal chandelier sparkled down setting the formal mood. Dinner was standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, buttered carrots and steamed baby green beans. Jack dug into the dinner with vigor and complimented Jackie on the meal and Pete for the excellent red wine he served with it. The Doctor rolled his eyes each time Jack complimented Jackie and Pete or flirted outrageously with Fraunk.

Fraunk, for the most part, was so engrossed in wedding details, he seemed to miss the drama and associated Doctor irritation from Jack’s flirting. “Yackie has bin a dram to work with and oh when you see the gardain!” he exclaimed, and kissed his finger tips and gestured with his hand which made Jack smirk. Pete very wisely took a sip of wine and coughed his way through chuckling at the flamboyant wedding planner.

“Oh, and the taunts will be halfenly! Fraunk most admit this shall be a masterpiss of perfection. Oh, my bride, it will amaze even magnificent yaw.”

The Doctor almost spat out his wine and looked at Fraunk. “A masterpiss is it? Wellll, Fraunk I’m sure it will be with you in charge and I gotta tell you, I can’t wait for the taunts!” he said with a huge grin. Jack snorted while sipping his wine. Pete stared off to the side as a painting on the wall became suddenly fascinating to him. Jackie of course, glared at the Doctor while poor Rose just wanted dinner to be done. Once he recovered, Jack chirped in.

“I, for one cannot wait to see it all put together. That is, if I’m invited?” He looked at Rose with eyebrows raised in question.

“Of course you are! Don’t let the rude alien git tell you anything else,” Jackie insisted, eyes narrowing at the Doctor who was in turn looking irritated at Jack. The dinner was turning into quite a dance of who could irritate who more with a dash of flamboyant Fraunk and Jack Harkness charm and over the top flirting. Rose, ever the peacemaker, tried to step in to prevent things from evolving from silent facial gestures to verbal sparring.

“We’d love for you to be there, Jack. As a matter of fact, I’d love for you to be a part of the wedding party if that’s okay with you?” Rose asked him. The Doctor squirmed a bit next to her.

“Thank you Rose. I’d be honored,” Jack said, smiling and winking at the Doctor who was trying very hard not to groan. Luckily dessert was about to be served. Rose hoped sticky toffee pudding would sweeten everyone’s disposition, especially the Doctor’s.

At the blessed end of dinner, Pete asked the Doctor and Jack to join him in his office while Rose stayed with Jackie and Fraunk to discuss wedding details. The Doctor leaned over and kissed her. “If you‘re gonna pull a runner, let me know. I‘ll meet you out back. Course, you‘ve faced worse than this.” He looked over her shoulder at Jackie and Fraunk speaking animatedly with each other and then back at Rose. “On second thought, maybe we should reconsider the running,” he told her, with a twinkle in his eyes. She smiled and pushed him toward Jack and Pete.

In Pete’s office, Jack paced around looking at his vast collection of books and multi media equipment. He whistled his appreciation as Pete poured him a glass of brandy. “Nice place you have here, Pete.”

“Thanks. So, Captain, let’s cut to it shall we. Rose has explained to me who you are and about your rather unique problem. She also told me you were essential in helping them out with the whole Amazon situation. What I need to know is what are your plans now? Rose says you’re staying with them at the manor for the foreseeable future. Seems a bit dull for a man like yourself. So tell me Jack, I got anything to worry about?”

The Doctor settled himself on the leather couch with his drink and propped his trainer clad feet on the coffee table and sat back to enjoy Pete’s interrogation. Jack walked over and accepted the drink and faced Pete. “I owe the Doctor and Rose. They got me out of a prison, plush as it may have been, it was still a cage. The way I see it, they may be the best hope for figuring out if there’s a way to fix me not to mention that I really can’t go back to my own time like this. People in my time would be a bit too interested in a man who can’t die or agem if you know what I mean. I really have no desire to be an experiment for the next century or so. Besides, these two seem to get into enough trouble to keep things interesting. Think I might stick around for the time being, that is, unless you’re telling me that I’m not welcome here.”

Pete stared at him with a calculating look in his eye and nodded. “All right. Rose likes you and I trust her judgment. That being said, if I even think you’ve done or will do anything to hurt her, the Doctor or anyone in this family, you’ll have me to deal with. Understood.”

Jack nodded and smiled. “Yes Sir.”

“Good. Now, Rose thinks you might be a nice fit for Torchwood. Seems to think you might be available to help us out every once in a while. You interested?”

“Might be. Depends on what you have in mind,” Jack responded, swirling his drink.

“Why don’t you stop by and take a look at us and we can talk about it. Rose and the Doctor could bring you in next time we need some help. Man of your talents might find it interesting.”

Jack smiled and raised his glass to Pete. Pete then turned to the Doctor. “Right, so the Amazons were gonna be easy huh,” Pete stated, staring hard at the Doctor who flinched a bit.

“Welll, I don’t think I said easy exactly.”

“Oh I think you did. I’m just glad you were smart enough to bring in back up and everyone made it out safely.”

“Yes, well, it all ended fine enough so there you have it. All’s well that ends well so to speak.”

“Uh huh, so what’s up next?”

“Oh, we’re on to Geryon’s cattle!”

“Cattle?” Jack asked with raised eyebrows as he walked over and took a seat on the arm of the sofa.

“Yes, our next task is based on Herc’s tenth task to obtain the Cattle of Geryon and herd the cattle back to Eurystheus. No easy task. First Herc had to get past Orthrus, the two headed guard dog which he killed with his club. Next he was confronted by Eurytion, the herdsman, who met a similar fate. Herc wasn’t known for subtlety. Anyway, Geryon was this three headed giant. Naturally, he was a bit sore that Herc wanted to take his cattle, so they had a bit of a tiff. He died when Herc shot him with an arrow dipped in the blood of the Hydra. He took the cattle back to King Eurystheus, not that he appreciated it.”

“So your task is to steal cattle from an angry giant after first defeating his evil minions,” Pete asked with a touch of sarcasm.

“Not exactly. Apparently there’s stories about this ogre that lived in the Swiss Alps around 1801. Had a bad reputation for stealing cattle and people. Basically, it’s the local bogey man of the mountains. Our task is to steal the cattle of this ogre and return them to the local village.”

“So we need to go back to 1801 and find this ogre?” Jack asked, his eyes lighting up a bit.

“Yep. I’m sure we’ll figure it out when we get there. Maybe this ogre isn’t half bad. Could just be some disfigured misunderstood bloke,” the Doctor suggested, sipping his brandy.

“Right, and all you had to do was get some amulet from the Queen of the Amazons and deliver to a temple. We all know how that turned out,” Pete reminded him.

“Don’t worry, Pete, we’ll have Jack with us. Judging by tonight’s performance, I’m sure he could charm the pants off of any cranky Ogre,” the Doctor said with a smirk.

Jack, not to be outdone by the Doctor’s entendre grinned and responded. “Yeah Pete, don’t worry. I’ll make sure they make it home safe and sound. I won’t let himself here piss off the giant, get anyone tossed down a mountain or explode anything.”

Pete watched the Doctor and Jack face off. “I sure hope Rose realizes what she’s got herself into with you two,” he muttered as he downed his drink.


	45. Milk Maids Don't Yodle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor, Rose and Jack are starting the next task which is to rescue cattle stolen by an ogre living in the Swiss Alps and return them to the local village. This takes place in 1801 near Lucerne. The frescos mentioned in this story actually exist. If I can find a way to link to a picture of one, I'll come back and add it to the author notes.

Cowbells clanked as cows quietly grazed in lush green fields. The cattle raised their heads as the wind picked up and an unusual wooshing noise disturbed the otherwise peaceful pasture. Slowly, a pine green police box materialized. The cattle snorted and went back to grazing. Within the green box, all was not quite so peaceful.

“Seriously, you want me to wear this! It’s like some sick version of Heidi!” Rose complained, poking at her skirt.

“Nonsense, you look perfectly acceptable for a 19th century farm girl,” the Doctor replied.

“Farm girl!” Rose exclaimed in outrage. “Why is it I have to be the one to go mucking about in barns and milking cows and making cheese while you walk around in your suit like some wealthy landowner?” Rose asked, fussing with her outfit which consisted of brown ankle boots, itchy long underwear, long brown skirt and starched white blouse with a type of brown corset laced up around her middle over which a petit for apron hung. Her hair was in braids covered by a white head scarf and her face scrubbed of all make up.

Jack strolled in just as Rose was about to argue further with the Doctor. Her eyes turned to him and she smiled. Jack was dressed in well fitted brown trousers, brown boots, a white buttoned shirt, braces, a brown vest and a brown and green hat with a feather in it.

The Doctor smirked. Jack turned toward him. “So, Rose and I get to dress up and go play the naughty milk maid and the stable boy while you roam around the countryside as what? The obviously out of place time traveler?” Jack asked, looking the Doctor up an down and focusing on the way his well tailored slacks clung to his bum.

“Oi! This is serious. No fooling around and I mean it Jack," The Doctor admonished waving his finger in the air. "You two are meant to get as much information from the locals as possible so we can find out about this ogre. No distractions. Anything happens to Rose and I’ll be blaming you,” the Doctor told him.

“I can take care of myself.” Rose declared, and crossed her arms. Jack came over to stand next to her chuckling.

“Of course you can. You take care of more than just yourself.” the Doctor said, his voice softening. “It’s just…” the Doctor stopped and just grinned looking back and forth between she and Jack.

“Well look at the two of you! Brother and sister. Hansel and Gretel.”

“What! Doctor, you can’t be serious,” Rose stated perturbed, hands on hips. The Doctor just grinned and rocked back on his heels.

“You sure about this Doc? I mean, Rose doesn’t look like my sister. More like my hot dairy babe,” hesaid, staring down at Rose’s bosom.

“Stop it! You’re going to the farm as brother and sister. You.” The Doctor pointed at Jack. “Will be a farm hand and Gretel over here will be a milk maid.”

Jack grinned brightly. “I like the sound of that! “ He turned to Rose. “You can be the sexy Swiss maid and I can…”

“Stop it. I mean it, Jack. Your brother and sister and that’s the end of it. In this time period, it would put Rose in a difficult situation to be unmarried without a protector. You are her protector.”

Jack snapped to attention and saluted the Doctor. “Yes, Sir! So, we’re to gather intel and sneak back here and coordinate our next move?”

“No, while you two are scouting out the farm, I’ll hike around and scan the area for anything out of the ordinary. I’ll coordinate our rendezvous through Rose." He paused, his eyes alight. "Oooo I’ve always wanted to say that! Rendezvous. We sound all James Bondy.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “So this milk maid thing, um, what does that mean exactly?”

Jack grinned. “Means you get to fondle cows teats all day, sweetheart,” he explained, and winked.

“Seriously? Doctor, you do know I’ve never been up close and personal with a cow?” Rose frowned.

“It’s a cow. You just you know milk it,” the Doctor told her, waving his hand in the air as if everyone knew how to milk a cow.

“Oh don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll teach you. Got lots of hands on experience in this department,” Jack assured her, with a cheeky grin.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Come on farm boy. The TARDIS can simulate something and you can show me.” She grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him toward the corridor.

“I do love a good simulation,“ Jack teased, smirking as they left the console room with the Doctor gaping.

Later that day found Rose sitting on a small wooden bench in a large stone and wood dairy barn with a compacted dirt floor where there was row and after row of tethered cattle. A young girl sat beside each bovine squeezing milk into metal pails. Farm hands moved the milked cattle in and out and milk maids would tote full pails of milk to another structure where the milk was poured into a larger vat where it was separated and portioned, some for the making of cheese and some for milk and cream. Rose grasped the cow’s teat as Jack had showed her and began working it. 

Milking a cow was much harder work than she thought it would be. It required strong hands and a rhythm to pull and squeeze and a sense to know when the cow was dry before irritation set the beast on edge. It took her a while, but eventually she got the hang of it. She could also sense the other milk maids eyeing her and whispering amongst themselves. When her pails were full, she stood up and grasped the handles in her now sore hands, wincing a bit, and made the long trek up to the processing shack along with several other girls.

She turned to some of the girls who were all dressed like Rose. “Hello, I’m Gretel.”

A blonde haired girl with pale grey eyes looked at her and shyly smiled. “Yes, we know. You’re new here. You haven’t been milking long have you?”

Rose smiled back at her. “No, my uh family is going through hard times and my brother and me were sent to work,” she told them, using the story Jack and concocted. “What’s your name?” Rose asked.

“I’m Helene. I grew up here. Your brother is Hansel?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Have you met him yet?”

Helene giggled along with the rest of the girls. “He’s very handsome and kind.”

Rose rolled her eyes a bit. “Yeah, that would be my brother,” Rose said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

Rose quietly chatted with the girls while they emptied their pails and went back to the dairy barn. By the end of the day, she had made friends with several of the girls. When they went to supper that night, she sat with them.

“So, my brother mentioned there are some dangerous animals around here. I was thinking of taking a walk on my day off. Should I be worried?” Rose asked Helene. Another of the girls, Giula, looked nervously at her.

“You are safe as long as you stay close to the farm. The mountains can be treacherous if you don’t know where you are going, especially in the mist and at night,” Helene told her, staring down at her soup.

“Oh, okay. But it’s safe in the day, yeah? I’d love to take a walk and maybe pick some wildflowers.”

All chattering at the table stopped and Giula put a hand on Rose’s arm. “You mustn’t go walking without your brother. These mountains are old and evil spirits lurk about. You have seen the frescos in the village to ward off evils spirits. There’s a reason for that. Please, Gretel, take care.”

“All right, but I don’t understand. Are you saying there’s something living in the mountains that would hurt us?”

Another girl at the end of the table looked up. “It’s a monster. The Devil’s own beast set upon us to test our faith. It took my brother and he was never seen again. It steals the cattle and feasts on blood of the innocent. You tell your brother to stay near the farm and only travel in groups. It’s the only way to stay safe.”

Rose looked at the girl who was visibly trembling as another girl put her arm around her. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” The rest of supper was eaten in silence.

Jack had made fast friends with most of the farm hands. He was a hard worker with a pleasant attitude. While Rose was having supper with the other milk maids, Jack was relaxing with some of the farm hands playing cards and enjoying a tankard of mead.

“So Bernard, I’ve heard it’s dangerous for my sister to walk in the hills. Should I be worried?” Jack asked, taking a sip of his mead and throwing a card on the table.

Bernard, an older, well built, tall, blond haired, blue eyed man dressed in brown trousers and a light blue buttoned up shirt looked at Jack seriously. “Hansel my friend, you mustn’t allow Gretel to wander about on her own. You may see a peaceful looking meadow, but it’s not safe. There are evil things hiding in the mountains.”

Gerhard, A dark haired young man with light gray eyes dressed in a similar fashion to Bernard, raised his head and looked at Jack. “I would be honored to escort Gretel for a stroll in the meadow, that is, with your consent,” he said nervously. Jack smiled and winked at Gerhard.

“Thanks Gerhard, but I think I’ll take Rose for a walk. So, you said there’s something out there. What exactly should I be protecting her from other than exuberant suitors.”

Bernard smiled at him, then became serious and took a long swig of his drink. “We no longer allow the cattle to graze in the north meadows. Many have disappeared from that area and there are strange noises coming from the rock paths leading higher into the mountains. Many villagers have disappeared or returned overtaken by madness telling tales of a demon. Keep close to the farm and you should be safe.”

Jack nodded. “Thanks, Bernard. So, anyone up for another round?” Jack asked, throwing his hand of cards down showing a royal flush.

While Rose and Jack made progress at the farm, the Doctor casually strolled over the hills and inclines of the fertile, green pastures periodically scanning with his sonic. He wrapped his coat tighter around him as a cold gust of wind blew in off the Swiss Alps. He quietly muttered to himself about Eternals and their penchant for tormenting him with livestock when he heard the clanking of cowbells. As he crossed a hill, he came face to face with a group of men sitting on some large rocks watching over grazing cattle.

“Good morning!” the Doctor greeted.

The three men stared at him taking in his trainers, suit and favorite brown overcoat and inclined their head. “Good day to you, Sir. Are you lost?”

“Who me? Nawww. Never get lost me. Just out inspecting the area.” The Doctor whipped out his psychic paper to show them he was a special investigator sent by the regional council.

The men looked at him askance. “You looking for something special?” one asked.

“Oh you know, anything that effects the cattle. Heard there’s been problems, missing cattle, sick cattle, you know, mysteries and all. You lot notice anything unusual?”

They glanced at each other and then at him. “Cattle wander off all the time. It means nothing.”

The Doctor chuckled. “Trust me, I understand how annoying having your charges wandering off can be. Don’t suppose you’ve seen anything unusual out here. Strange people mucking about, strange lights, falling stars…”

“Only stranger here is you. Maybe you have something to do with this,” one of them asserted.

“What me? What would I do with dairy cows?” He scratched his head. “I mean other than the obvious. They are dairy cows so I suppose if someone had a hankering for fresh milk they might want them but then again, wouldn’t it be easier to steal the milk canisters. Stealing cows is work not mention the mess. I can tell you from experience with a rather rude bull, cattle are nothing to sneeze about!”

The men just stared at the babbling Doctor. “Soooo, I take it you have nothing more to tell me well then? Guess I’ll just be off, investigating uh this way.” The Doctor told them motioning behind him.

Finally, one of the men stepped forward. “Chief Dairy Inspector, this is no place for a stroll. Evil lurks in the dark places of these mountains and valleys.”

“Really? And when did this evil first appear?”

“Many years ago when the moon turned as red as blood and the ground shook with the wrath of God. It’s said God sent his angels from heaven to do battle with the fallen angel in these mountains. It was a terrible battle and our Lord triumphed but the Devil’s evil monster escaped and hid itself in the dark places, waiting and watching. It seeks out innocent souls foolish enough to wander alone in these mountains. It feasts upon them or leads them astray corrupting their souls.”

“You don’t say. Don’t suppose anyone’s ever tried confronting this demon?”

“Many holy men have come to bless this place and try and banish the evil. None have been successful.”

“Well, perhaps it’s time for a humble Dairy Inspector to give it shot,” the Doctor told them, as he bounced away toward the cliffs and caves the shepherds mentioned. As he marched away, the shepherds grouped together and shook their heads talking about the strange and foolish governmental official marching away to his doom.

The Doctor, oblivious to this comment, continued making his way climbing over rocks and in some cases, sliding down steep slopes all the while scanning for anything out of place. He came to one area where there was evidence of extreme heat causing some of the rocks to appear melted in what the locals may interpret as a demonic formation. There were deep gouges with blackened marks and corroded silver rivulets oozing out of the stone face of the base of the cliff. It almost looked like the rock had been clawed by some large beast and then bled tarnished metal.

“Well, look at you,” he whispered in surprise. “You don’t belong here. Alusian Brontide,” he said, running his fingers over the metallic substance. “You’ve been here at least a few decades.”

He stood up and walked around examining the landscape. He stopped suddenly, focusing on some rocks. He ran to an area where there had been a rockslide and began scampering up. He climbed until he reached the top of the rocky slope and looked down at the area he had been investigating. “Ha! Of course! Something crashed into this valley,” he exclaimed, listening to his voice echo. A huge grin was plastered onto his face as he shouted out, “Doctor” and his name echoed throughout the mountains. He giggled and looked around and shouted out, “yodle-lay-hee-who.” As he was about to shout out something else, a growling deep voice echoed back to him “Oggggtooooor” followed by a howl.

The Doctor stared into the valley and surrounding mountains. He scanned the horizon but could see nothing moving. As he looked down, he observed what at one point must have been a fiery crash site but was now overgrown and weathered by time and the climate of this region. As he paid closer attention, he noticed how the geology in the area must have been altered as a result of whatever crashed there. Minerals and non-terrestrial substances from whatever it was had leached in to the soil and geologic substrata. 

He began taking scrapings and samples until the light was fading. Soon it would be dark and it would be dangerous to wander about in this steep terrain in the pitch black. He started back to the TARDIS and as he left the area, he heard the howling noise again. He paused and looked back the rocky slopes as the setting sun glowed orange and red in the sky almost setting an ominous picture as the darkness from the caves and crevasse seeped outward consuming the grassy and rocky area with menace.

“Definitely enough to make a local farmer worried,” he murmured, as he continued back to the TARDIS to examine his samples and have a telepathic chat with Rose. Later that night the Doctor contacted Rose who was settling down for bed. She smiled as she curled up and closed her eyes.

“So Gretel how goes the milking?” the Doctor teased.

“Next time it’s your turn to get up close and personal with the livestock,” she retorted. “Seriously, it’ll be weeks before I get the smell out of my hair.”

“Nawww, the TARDIS will take care of it for you. I don’t think she wants any more reminders of the whole bull incident. So, other than frolicking about with bovines, did you learn anything about our ogre.”

“Not sure if it’s an ogre. Everyone here seems pretty scared of something in the mountains. They warned me not to go off by myself and that terrible things have been happening. Not just cows disappearing. People too. What about you?”

“Oh you know, took a little hike in the mountains, met some shepherds, did a little yodeling, found a crash site, the usual.”

“Yodeling and a crash site. Sounds like a full day.” 

“Yep! Talked to Jack?” he asked.

“Not yet. They keep us pretty busy, although I hear he’s popular.”

“Well, it is Jack after all.”

“Yeah, I’ll try and talk with him at lunch tomorrow. So, crash site?” Rose asked.

“Something crashed in the mountains. Something not of Earth, probably a ship from the Klakoren Nebulae judging by the residue.”

“What’s that mean?” Rose asked.

“Well, could be a survivor lurking about. Might just want a lift home” the Doctor explained, as he poured some of his scrapings into a beaker.

“Or, it could be a bit cranky after being stuck here with nothing but cows and people accusing it of being the devil. Can’t imagine that puttinf anyone in a good mood. People here says it eats and terrorizes people,” Rose told him.

“Yes, well I didn’t say it would be easy or that we could just walk up and offer it a glass of milk now did I. It’s been here alone and hiding for decades.”

“So, can you scan for it?”

“Not without knowing what I’m looking for which I don’t. There’s a lot of lifeforms that come from that area of space, not to mention, this is an entirely different universe. Could be anything.”

“Guess it’s the old fashion approach,” Rose suggested.

The Doctor smiled. “Send in the lovely yodeling milk maid to sing the cranky alien into submission,” he suggested.

Rose mentally rolled her eyes. “I’m not yodeling. Jack and I will see if we can find some sort of trail.”

“Oh all right, but contact me as soon as you find something. I’m going back to the crash site and see if I can find anything. Might try the yodeling again. It did seem to respond to it.”

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Oi! I’ll have you know I once yodeled with Franzl Lang, the yodeling king. He said I was his best student,” the Doctor told her, sniffing a bit and preening. “Yodeling is an acceptable form of communication in over 1.253% of civilized worlds in the Universe. Don’t mock the yodeling, Rose Tyler,” he further lectured her.

“Right, look I have to go some of the girls are coming in. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Stay out of trouble!” The Doctor’s head snapped up

“Stay out of trouble! Like I’m the one that wanders off,” he muttered to himself.

The next day, by the time Rose finished her shift in the dairy barn, she was bleary eyed, her hands throbbed and her back ached from hunching over on the stool. She slowly made her way out of the barn noting the misty chill in the air and wrapping her shawl tightly around her. As she walked toward the milk maids sleeping quarters hoping to catch a nap, Jack ran up to her.

“Hey there my milky minx!” He teased.

Rose glared at him as he obviously wasn’t any worse for wear from his farm hand duties. “Hi Jack.”

“What’s wrong sweetheart, cows talking back to you?” 

She glared and put her hands on her hips. “You try sitting on hard wooden bench hunched over milking cows in a musty, smelly barn and then, carrying heavy pails up the hill to the equally smelly processing building and see how you feel. At least your out here in the fresh air moving around.”

“Awww, I’m sorry sweetheart. Look on the bright side, milk maids have really lovely skin.”

Rose just glared at him. “Did you want something, Hansel?” she asked, using his assumed name knowing it would irritate him.

He stiffened. “Yeah Gretel,” he said emphasizing Gretel. “Heard anything from good old Dad lately?” he snarked back at her.

She grinned. “Yup! He thinks we should take a walk and enjoy the countryside.”

“Really, well, bet I know where we can take in the best views,” he told her, and held his arm out. She slipped her arm around his and they made their way from the farm in a northerly direction toward the ominous, cloud enshrouded mountains. They quietly chatted on their way with Rose telling him about the Doctor’s discovery. Just as they reached a meadow carpeted in red wild flowers, they heard the sound of a rock slide. Jack stopped and looked toward a rocky incline. They paused and heard a groaning noise and then some snorting. Rose turned and looked at Jack.

“What was that?” she asked him quietly.

He shook his head no and then they both slowly approached the area where they heard the sound. They stopped a few feet away from a forested area where the elevation abruptly changed. They heard some branches snap and gravel and rocks moving.

“Jack, maybe we should um hide or something. I don’t suppose you brought your sonic blaster?” Rose asked nervously, staring into the darkened wooded area.

“No, the Doc wouldn’t let me bring it but I do have a spare micro gun tucked away in a safe place, but it’s not the most accessible right now.”

Rose looked up at him and he turned to her with a cheeky grin and a wink. She rolled her eyes. “You weren’t kidding when you told me that story about the smuggling ring in the Astoran Belt were you?”

“A guy has to be prepared,” he told her, still smiling but now looking into the woods.

Suddenly, the trees moved and a very large creature burst out and stood before them. Rose’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Big,” she said.

Jack gripped her hard. “Really, really big,” he said, never taking his eyes off of the fifteen foot tall humanoid type creature, with three heads, six arms, two legs and which carried a an old tree as a staff.

“Run?” whispered Rose, beginning to tremble.

“I don’t think so,” said Jack, staring up at the creature who towered over them. “The Doc is so gonna kill me."


	46. A Jack Named George

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack, the Doctor and Rose arrived in 1801 Switzerland to find the Ogre and retrieve the missing cattle. Rose and Jack went undercover at a farm while the Doctor explored the mountains and meadows and located an old crash site. Jack and Rose went for a walk to try and find out more about the ogre and got more than they bargained for when they ran into him, literally. This chapter may contain copious amounts of silliness and a touch of Eternal wickedness.

"Hey there, big fella," Jack greeted the creature . It looked down at them, eyes on all three of its faces blinking as if it was contemplating Jack.

"We don't mean you any harm. We were just out for a stroll. You doing okay there? Do you understand me?" Jack asked, trying to charm the giant.

Rose just stared up at the giant, who was wrapped in leather hides which had been stitched together to cover its two enormous legs up to its waist and a leather vest that covered its massive tanned chest. Rose heard something groaning behind it, and one of the giant's heads turned and looked over its shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, but, um, do you need help?" Rose asked, her voice trembling slightly.

It turned and looked at them as if it didn't know what to do. Another groan and growl could be heard in the trees. Rose and Jack looked at each other as the giant turned around and walked back into the woods. Rose and Jack followed. Lying on a rock slide was an enormous, two-headed brown dog with a heavy branch piercing its paw. It must have come up to the giant's thigh. Its massive paw was covered in blood.

Jack and Rose walked up to the wounded dog. Rose looked into his eyes and began petting it. "Easy now. Jack and I are here, and we're gonna help you."

Jack looked at her a bit worriedly. "Rose, I'm not sure this is a good idea," he said, looking from the giant to the dog.

"Jack, we have to help them. Look at him. He's in pain. If we help him, then maybe his friend here will return the favor?" Rose said as she continued petting the dog.

Jack looked up at the giant and sighed. If this went badly, it was really going to hurt and not just because the giant. The Doctor would no doubt find new and creative ways to inflict pain on him. Jack walked up and put his hand on the dog, which growled slightly at him. 

"Easy now, pup. Rose and I just want to help. That means don't eat us, okay." Jack examined the stick and looked up at the giant. He told the giant and the dog that the stick needed to be pulled out and tried mimicking the motion with his hands, not knowing if they understood him. "Once we pull this out, we're going to need to bind up the wound," he told Rose.

Rose reached under her skirts and ripped her underskirt. She pulled it out and gave it to Jack. who was staring at her with a grin. "Geez, if I knew all it took to get under your skirts was a wounded dog, we'd of done this a long time ago," he said, unable to stop himself from teasing her.

"Just keep your mind on the dog, Jack."

Suddenly, the giant spoke. "Not Jack, George."

Rose looked up at him. "All right. Is that your name? Are you George?" she asked.

The giant pointed at Jack. "George."

Rose grinned a bit and looked at Jack. "Guess you're George now. A bit better than Hansel, don't ya think," Rose teased.

Jack glared at both her and the giant. "Right, George," he said. He looked up at the giant. "Hey, I need you to hold your dog down while we pull this thing out."

Rose looked up at the giant. "Excuse me, but can you give George here a hand?"

"George," all three heads said in unison. Two of the massive hands held down the giant dog while a third helped Jack pull out the stick. The dog yelped, whined, and struggled, but the giant held him down so that Rose and Jack could bind the wound. The giant let the dog up, and it growled at them. The giant shouted, "No, hurt George!"

Rose turned and looked at Jack and shook her head, "The Harkness charm should be classified as a lethal weapon," she muttered, raising her eyebrows.

Jack stood up a bit taller and winked at her. "Hey there, good lookin', now that we've helped your friend, could you maybe help us?" Jack asked. The giant reached down and gently gripped Jack and lifted him up to its eye level.

"Whoa, big fella. Easy, uh don't break George," Jack said nervously. The giant smiled at him and cradled him close to his chest, almost smooshing him.

"Gar misses his George! Gar will take care of his George and not let Muff eat him this time. Gar will love him, and pet him, and squeeze him, and pat him, and keep him warm and dry!" Gar said, before squeezing Jack and patting him on the head. He held him up and ruffled his hair. "Gar will rub him, and feed him, and make sure George's pet is nice too."‘

Jack, who was looking a little dazed, said, "George's pet?" Suddenly, Rose was lifted up and held opposite Jack. Her mouth gaped just slightly as she stared from Gar to Jack.

"Jack do something!" she demanded. Jack burst out laughing.

"Gar will take you home now. Come Muff!" Gar, still carrying Jack and Rose, began walking through the forest up into the mountains followed by a limping Muff.

"Jack, it's not funny. Did you hear what he said?" Rose told him, squirming a bit in Gar's tight grip.

"Don't worry Rose, he said he wouldn't let the dog eat us," Jack said with confidence he wasn't sure he felt.

"No, he said he wouldn't let the dog eat you." She looked down at the dog and added, “This time!” She turned and looked at Jack, "That sort of tells me there was another George who did get eaten."

"Yeah, but I'm not any old George. Don't worry sweetheart. I've gotten out of tougher situations than this," he said, eyeing their surroundings to track their progress through the mountains.

"Besides, don't forget the Doc. Worst case, and you can send out a psychic SOS to him."

"You really want me to tell him that some three headed giant scooped us up cause you remind him of his pet George who was eaten by his giant dog?" Rose asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Not really." Jack winced and squirmed in the giant's tight grip. "But we may need some outside help on this one."

"This is so embarrassing. We'll never hear the end of it," Rose moaned.

##

 

The Doctor continued his examination of the crash site. He brought back equipment from the TARDIS so he could excavate some of the area and unearth remnants from the crash. After a short while, he realized it was a personal transport. He sat back on a boulder tapping his sonic against his chin.

"What species from that quadrant has a long enough lifespan to still be active and have physical attributes to resemble what humans view as a demon?" he asked out loud. He pulled out some imaging equipment, and looked at the fragments buried deep in the ground, and scanned a fragment he had unearthed.

"Of course! Yes, yes, yes, you are gorgeous. Glyrank! Ha!" he said jumping up and pumping his fist in the air. He paced back and forth and then slowed as he looked back at the twisted and partially melted metal.

"Oh, no. It couldn't be," he whispered. He made some adjustments to his sonic, scanned the ground again, closed his eyes, and sighed. He took a deep breath and scanned the area and his arm dropped to his side like dead weight.

"You poor lonely creature you. The universe can be cruel sometimes," he murmured. He needed to get a hold of Rose and Jack.

He was sure this was a Glyrank personal transport which meant there were more than likely only Glyrankians aboard. This wasn't any commercial transport. This was more than likely just some Glyrankians out for a Sunday drive or on vacation. Something must have happened and they crashed here. Once he knew the species, it was fairly simple to know what to scan for. Only one Glyrankian life form appeared on his scan. It was a young Glyrankian life form.

The Doctor packed his equipment and the remnants of the crash in his bag and sat down on a boulder to focus on Rose. He felt feelings of worry and discomfort and became alarmed. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Rose. Answer me." Finally, he felt like he had her attention.

"Doctor?" she thought back.

"Rose, what's wrong?"

"It's a bit complicated, and I don't have time to get into it. I'm a bit busy at the moment."

"Busy? Doing what?"

"Uh, I'm with Gar," she told him.

"Gar? What or who is Gar?" he asked becoming more concerned at the feeling of worry that was rolling off of her in waves.

"Um, Gar is the ogre we were looking for."

"What! Are you there alone? Where's Jack?" he thought to her, now worried about her safety and aggravated with Jack.

"He's here. Doctor, it's real complicated. We're in the mountains north of the farm, sort of near a mountain with a boulder than looks a bit like, um, a Slitheen sitting down. We can see lake Lucerne down in the valley. It's beautiful," she said, nervous but still appreciating the beauty of the area.

"Try to stay there, and I'll come find you. Tell me, this Gar, three heads and six arms right?"

"Yeah. Doctor' I don't think he's…"

"Rose, Rose!"

"Sorry. I really have to go. Just get here, okay?"

The Doctor sprang up and practically fell of the boulder on his way to gather up his rucksack before heading out toward the area Rose mentioned. It was getting late in the day and the sun was quickly sinking into the horizon. His concern for Rose and Jack outweighed the danger of hiking in the rocky terrain after sunset. He was determined to make it as far as he could, camp until sunrise, and make it the rest of the way in the morning. His only solace was that Jack was with Rose, and he knew Jack would do anything to keep her safe.

As the sun sank behind the mountains and the shadows stretched ominously throughout the hills and valleys, the temperature dropped, and the Doctor realized he would have to find shelter for the night. There was a shallow cavern not far from him that seemed to be uninhabited by any of the local wildlife. He set down his rucksack and rubbed his hands together as he decided what he needed to do to set up camp.

"Right, guess it's time to make like Bear Grylls," he mumbled to himself, as he gathered some pine boughs to line the floor of the cave.

"Course, Bear wouldn't have a sonic laser setting to cut the boughs or excite the molecules of granite and basalt to make a natural stone heater to keep him toasty," the Doctor told himself, tossing the sonic in the air and catching it.

"Rose isn't even here to see it," he complained, as he lined the cave entrance with more boughs to keep out the wind and be alerted if anything decided to cuddle up with him in the night. He settled himself down and drifted off wondering where Rose was and what she was doing. He hoped she was safe.

The Doctor was drifting into a rather nice dream of lying on a divan in the garden as Rose fed him slices of banana she had coated in chocolate from the nearby chocolate fountain. She was erotically licking dribbles of chocolate from her fingers while giving him saucy smiles when something poked him in the side. He shot up and found a tall, pale woman with a riot of curly ginger hair about her face standing over him. She was dressed in dark grey jeans, a green button up shirt with bright yellow braces and was twirling a black walking stick.

"Hello, can I help you?" he asked, curious but wary of the ginger intruder.

She raised an eyebrow and prodded him with her walking stick. "We'll see," she said as her green eyes squinted at him speculatively.

“You are the one called "the Doctor, yes?"

"Maybe, depends on whose asking?" he replied, quickly scanning the room for anything out of place.

She laughed. "Don't bother. It's just us here. Well, maybe not the here you think and then again, who are we anyway? Does anyone really know?" she asked with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

He sat up further and really examined her. "You're an Eternal."

She poked him again and walked over to his rucksack and tipped it over. "You like your little toys don't you. You know they won't help you in the end." He stood up and felt for his sonic.

"I told you your toys won't help you. Have you been in this mortal cage so long that you've forgotten what you're capable of?"

He began to circle her. "Which one are you? Here just to annoy me or do you have some purpose?"

She scowled at him as she walked to the cave entrance and swept away the boughs of pine he had carefully stacked, letting in a chilly breeze and revealing the moonlit night sky. She turned back to him.

"Always with the names and identifying things. It's not real if you can't name it. Silly little mortal. Vex, call me vex."

"Of course you are," the Doctor said, watching her every move.

"So, tell me Vex, what brings you out on a chilly night in the Swiss Alps? Looking for a bit of fresh air, some cheese perhaps or maybe you want to try your hand at a little yodeling?"

"I suppose I should expect that from a magpie like you." She rolled her eyes. "Actually Doctor, I just thought I would stop by to amuse myself. It's been quite entertaining watching you try to protect your wolf. Doing a rubbish job of it too aren't you? You should have seen her when the Amazon Queen learned of all the chaos her mere presence caused. Mmmm and did she tell you how the Queen almost died and she was spattered in Hippolyta's blood? And the Queen was so sweet on here...until she realized how here beloved Holy One caused the despair of one she once held dear. All that delicious guilt rolled- off your wolf -- so tasty."

"Stop it!" he demanded.

She continued. "Oh and where were you during her suffering?" She arched a brow and smirked. "That's right, off with pretty Jack and the men, drinking and planning a party not to mention teaching them the art of seduction. All while your pretty wolf suffered."

"I said stop it!" he shouted, lunging forward to rage at her.

She smiled. "Not very protective if you ask me." She turned away dismissing him and leaned out into the night air before glancing back over her shoulder. "And you know what Doctor? She didn't even need you. She solved it all on her own. I think she's learning your more trouble than your worth. Look at where she is now, with pretty immortal Jack. She always did like him and now she's got him. A new protector and one who can actually live up to the role unlike you."

"That's enough." His voice grew cold and hard. "You think you can waltz in here and break my faith in HER? You don't know Rose and I at all. We were once separated by the void itself and even it couldn't keep us apart. So don't come here spouting off some rubbish that Rose is tossing me over for Jack. 

"I mean, pulllease!" He rolled his eyes. "It's Jack. I might not always agree with him, but there's one thing I know, he's a friend to both of us and one of the few creatures in the multiverse I would trust to keep my Rose safe. She and I are together, and nothing you say is going to change that," he said, his eyes radiating a cold anger that she dare even suggest anything else.

She chuckled. "If that's what makes you happy, you keep thinking that. Meanwhile, you're here in a cold, damp cave while Rose is curled up warm and protected by pretty Jack. You know, you really shouldn't have stolen him away. He was put there for a reason." Her voice gained an edge and her eyes narrowed on the Doctor.

"What reason? Did you change him?" the Doctor asked, standing in front of her using his most haughty oncoming storm glare, his voice as calm and icy as the wind blowing through the alps.

She smirked. "Wasn't my toy. I imagine you'll find out eventually whose fun you ruined. Then again, his being with you may be even more interesting." She whipped her walking stick around and hit him across the middle tossing him out of the cave.

When he opened his eyes, he was on his knees in a field near a bon fire where a nude Jack was writhing on top of and equally naked Rose, the firelight dancing across their skin. Vex walked up and watched them her head cocked to the side. She turned and smiled at him with frigid eyes. "You sure you know them so well?"

He stood up and stared at her ignoring the grunts and groans of the naked couple. "If this were going on I'd know."

"So you don't trust her do you? You've been keeping a psychic eye on her, haven't you?" she gloated.

"No, you're wrong. Our connection goes both ways, and I think you already know that. You're here to try and make me doubt her and Jack because you know that together we're strong. Perhaps more than strong, maybe we’re a force to be reckoned with, and you don't like that do you?" he asked, beginning to enjoy turning the tables on her.

"You just think you're so clever, don't you, Doctor?" She shook her head sneering at him. "You haven't even begun to see what we can do to you, your wolf or your new pet. But don't worry, Doctor, it won't be long now before you get a taste of real adversity," she said, and pushed him into the bon fire.

He woke up with a start breathing heavy but lying on the boughs in the cave. He looked over to the cave entrance where light was just beginning to seep through from the rising sun. He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. "Blimey," was all he could say as he stood up and prepared to complete his journey to find Rose and Jack.

##

After a jolting trip back to Gar's cave, which was surprisingly warm and dry, Rose was ready to collapse. Gar put she and Jack on a rocky ledge which was padded with hay. Rose found a mound of hay and laid down while Jack asked Gar for some water.

"Hey there, buddy, George and his pet here need some water. Think you could find us some?" Jack asked, his voice laced with exhaustion.

The three heads took turns speaking to him. "George is thirsty." "Gar will take care of George." "George is Gar's friend." Gar bent over and lifted up a barrel and set it down, sloshing water over the side.

Jack smiled up at him and waved. "Thanks, Gar!"

All three faces smiled with yellow toothed grins and said in unison "George is happy. Gar will pet him and feed him and keep him warm and dry." Gar turned and began speaking to his other pet Muff. In the distance, Jack could hear the sound of cowbells and the mooing cows.

"Rose?"

Rose groaned in response. "What? Please don't tell me he wants to play with us."

Jack smirked. "Although that could get really interesting, no. He went off to take care of Muff. I've got some water here. Come on Rose, you need to drink." He walked over and helped her up.

She looked at the water and sniffed at it, making a face. "You sure this is safe to drink?"

"It's fine. It's the minerals in the rock, it gives it a odd smell but it should be pretty safe," he said and cupped some water to drink.

"Pretty safe?" She sighed and took a handful of water. She was thirstier than she thought. She took some and splashed her face and arms and went back to lay in the hay. Jack plopped down next to her.

"The light's fading. It'll be dark and cold soon."

"We gonna make a run for it after he goes to sleep?"

"With Muff out there on guard duty? I don't think so. We need to wait for the Doc. You did say you spoke to him on the way here."

"Yeah, but it was difficult with the constant 'George is my friend; George will tell me stories and play games and be a good George' droning on in my ear. Oh, and let’s not forget the hot, sweaty squeezing grip of the giant along with the up and down and walkin' through the trees with branches whipping about my head."

Jack laughed.

"It's not funny. I mean, seriously, Jack, what you gonna do when he wants to, um, play, whatever that means?

"Oh, I'll think of something. Try and relax and get some sleep. Tomorrow could be a long day," he said, putting his arm around her and piling the hay up around them. He lay down and grinned at her.

"What?" she asked. "I got something in my hair?" She started feeling around in her hair.

"Nope. Just thinking the irony of how it took a three headed giant to get you in the sack with me."

Rose whacked him on the arm. "Stop it," she scolded him and then proceeded to pile hay on him and giggle. By the time they were done, both were giggling and covered in hay. The settled down and most chastely snuggled up together.

"Night, Jack," she told him.

"Sleep tight, gorgeous," he replied.

The next morning Rose awoke to Jack's laughter. She stood up brushing and picking hay off of herself and walked over to the water barrel. She splashed water on her face and looked around for a place she could use as a loo. She heard Jack call out to her so she walked over to the edge and looked down to see Jack streaking in the cave entrance as naked as the day he was born.

"Rose, the water's great! A bit nippy but great. Wanna come down for a dip?" he asked as he grabbed his shirt, stood by the fire and started drying himself off.

"Um, thanks, but I'll pass. I really need a loo though."

"Right, I'll get Gar to come over an give you a hand," he told her grinning. "Get it, give you a hand!"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah. So, what's got you in a such a good mood?"

"Why shouldn't I be? Smell that fresh mountain air, look at that sunshine and I have a giant who worships me," he told her, very pleased with himself. Rose just groaned and hoped the Doctor would find them before she killed Jack and had to deal with an angry giant.

Gar walked in and Jack asked him to retrieve Rose. The rest of the morning was spent with Gar and Muff and was not entirely unpleasant if Rose admitted it. The more time she spent with Gar and watched him play chase with the cows and tag with Muff, she realized he had the maturity of a child. He was really quite innocent and couldn't comprehend the villagers fear of him. She also found out that Gar had been stealing more than cattle from the farm as Jack showed her a stash of produce and cheese.

Later that afternoon as Rose and Jack were sitting outside playing cards, Rose's head perked up.

"You okay?" Jack asked, sitting up and scanning the area.

"Yeah, I think the Doctor's nearby," she said, squinting her eyes a bit as she concentrated.

"Where's Gar?" Jack asked, and then looked around.

"He was back with the cows working on stacking his stone wall the last time I checked," Rose answered.

All of a sudden they heard a voice, a babbling voice. "That sounds like…" Rose didn't finish as Gar emerged from the forest carrying a babbling and squirming Doctor held out in front of him by the collar of his jacket.

"Right, you can put me down now. I mean really, where did you get these manners just picking up an innocent Time Lord and smashing his sonic like that? What did a sonic screwdriver ever do to you?”

Jack dropped his cards in surprise and then grinned. Rose giggled a bit but tried to hide it by bowing her head down and covering her mouth with her hand as Gar marched up to them with his prize.

"George," the three Gar heads said simultaneously.

The Doctor stopped babbling and looked down at Jack and Rose playing cards. "George?" he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"It's okay , Gar, he belongs to Rose. He won't hurt you."

Gar held the Doctor up to one of his faces and one of his hands came up and pointed a finger at his face. "George is Gar's friend. You will be nice to George and George's pet."

Rose groaned and fell forward into the grass, trying to crawl into the ground as Jack smiled and patted her on the head. Gar continued his warning to the Doctor. "George is good and kind. Gar will not let Muff eat George again. George will stay with Gar and be best friends and love him and talk to him and make things nice," Gar told the Doctor with his various heads.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, of course. Brilliant fellow, George. Mustn't let anything happen to George." the Doctor promised Gar. Gar lowered the Doctor until he was a few feet from the ground and dropped him. The Doctor fell the ground with an oomph. He stood up and dusted himself off and slowly backed toward Rose and Jack. Rose looked up at him from the grass and the concern on his face turned into a grin.

"Soooo, George and George's pet, are we?" he asked them, hands in his pocket and rocking back on his heals.


	47. Sometimes Love is Letting Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is now reunited with Jack, Rose and Gar at Gar’s cave. This chapt will resolve this task and Gar’s loneliness. The next task will be introduced. The Apples of Hesperides is a complex myth and I have summarized it as best I could. The next task is based on this myth and you will learn more details about the task in the following chapt. Things will be growing darker over the next few chapts.

Rose sat by the spring near Gar’s cave with a torn off bit of her skirt trying to wash up as Jack and the Doctor chatted with Gar. The Doctor walked over and collapsed down next to Rose holding his crushed sonic out in front of him. It was dented and the blue light on the end was smashed. He gazed at it sadly as he caressed it in his hand.

Rose paused with the wet cloth in her hand. “Can you repair it?” she asked softly, seeing how upset he was.

He shrugged. She smiled and put her hand on his arm. “For a brilliant Time Lord like you, fixing a sonic is a piece of cake.”

He smiled at her. “Well, I have been meaning to add some new settings anyway,” he said, twisting it in his hand.

“Just gives you an opportunity to make it even better.” 

“So, what did you and Jack work out with Gar?” she asked, as she continued ringing out her cloth and draped it over a rock to dry.

“I’m going back to the TARDIS and ring up Gar’s home world,” he said, as he leaned back against a rock near her.

“So Jack and I are…”

“Yes, you need to stay with Gar. I don’t want him wandering about and running into any of the locals. They won’t be so understanding as you and George over there.” He looked over to where Gar was laying on the ground while Jack sat on a boulder next to him pointing at some clouds. “Poor lonely fellow. All these years he’s been up here by himself with no one to talk to much less take care of him,” the Doctor said softly, his voice tinged with sadness.

“So, you think his family was killed instantly in the crash,” Rose asked.

“No.” The Doctor's voice quieted. “He told Jack and I that an elderly uncle survived long enough to get him and his pet, Muff, to this cave. Gar said his Uncle was hurt. He’s buried deep within this cave system.”

Rose swallowed back tears thinking about how she'd feel if it were her family. “He… he had to bury his uncle and he was what, the equivalent to a two year old?” She gasped. “He’s been here for decades all alone hiding from the villagers.” The Doctor put his arms around her and she buried her head in his coat and cried for the gentle giant who was so enamored of Jack. She looked up at the Doctor. “Is there anything else we can do for him?”

The Doctor smiled down at her. “I think you and Jack already have. You showed him kindness that he hasn’t been offered by the local population.”

“Did he mention anything about um other George?” Rose asked.

“The best we can tell, he met an old shepherd in the hills. Don’t know where the whole George thing came from, but this shepherd fellow seems to have met Gar after his uncle died. He helped him learn how to survive out here and avoid the villagers. I’m not sure how he was eaten. Gar didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Right,” Rose said, looking back over at Gar and Jack. “So, you leaving soon?”

The Doctor looked up at the sun. “Yeah, I need to get there before dark. I’ll bring the TARDIS back here tonight. I’m not spending another night without you.”

“Miss me did ya?” Rose teased, smiling up at him as she leaned on his shoulder. He looked down at her with affection.

“Oh yes! Course, I could also do without another Eternal visit,” he said, and grimaced.

“What!” Rose pulled away and stared at him expectantly.

“Got a little visit from an Eternal named Vex. They really don’t like you, Jack and I together. She all but told me Jack’s condition is the result of Eternal meddling.”

“She? Did she say why?”

“Nope. You know, same old Eternal mysterious and enigmatic rubbish. Lots of grandiose threatening speeches, pompous attitude and condescending looks,” he explained, shrugging.

Rose leaned over and hugged him. “You all right?” she whispered into his ear. He hugged her tighter to him.

“I am now." He sighed softly before he pulled away and cupped her face in his hands. “Rose, I don’t want you to worry. We’re gonna be fine as long as we stick together. You know, the old team, shiver and shake. This time, we even have back up.” He looked over toward Jack.

Rose caressed his face. “Together,” she whispered and then she broke out in a huge grin. “Shiver, Shake and George,” she pronounced with a grin that showed just a tip of pink tongue. The Doctor broke out into laughter and pulled her to him in another huge hug.

“All right you, I have to be off now. Take care of George and Gar and don’t wander off,” he lectured her. She kissed him and watched as he began his hike back to the TARDIS.

That evening, while Jack and Rose were singing the Beatles' “Long and Winding Road” to Gar who was completely enamored of the music, the TARDIS materialized nearby. Gar looked up and Muff started to growl

“Easy big guy, it’s just the Doctor. I promise, I’m not going to let anything hurt you,” Jack assured him, walking over and patting him on one of his arms. Muff whined but settled down. Rose ran up to the TARDIS just as the Doctor strolled out.

“Hello George and George’s Pet!” he shouted out to them. Rose glared at him.

“So, Gar my friend, I had a chat with some people from your home world. Seems you have some family back there that are anxious to meet you. Should be here in the morning.”

“Did you hear that, Gar! You have family coming to meet you. They’re going to take you home,” Jack told Gar.

Gar looked down at Jack, his eyes blinking. “Gar has home here with George, Muff and George’s pet. Gar loves George. George is nice to Gar and talks to Gar and sings to Gar and plays games,” Gar said, while nervously tossing some rocks into the water.

Rose walked over and stood next to Jack. “But Gar, they’re your family. Don’t you want to be around others like you so you don’t have to hide from the villagers?”

“George is Gar’s family.”

Jack was a bit taken aback. “Thanks Gar, but I think you should give your family a chance. Let’s see how things go tomorrow, okay?”

Gar nodded his head and tossed a tree branch out into a field for Muff to fetch and ran after him. The Doctor walked up to them. “Never get in between a giant and his George,” he stated, with an amused look on his face. Jack turned toward him and crossed his arms.

“Yeah, well never tease a George when his giant is within shouting distance.” Jack arched a brow before a cocky grin lighted his face. Rose rolled her eyes.

“Right, that’s enough both of you. I swear you’re like school boys showing off on the play ground,” she said, while standing in between them. “So, Gar’s people will be here tomorrow. Did they say anything else?”

“Wellll, they may have been a tad annoyed with me and when I say a tad, I mean they might have threatened to throw me into the pit of the most foul unctuous darkness whatever that is. But don’t worry, I’m sure I won them over in the end.” Rose groaned and Jack was rubbing his hands over his face.

“So tell us, Doc, how’d you piss off these aliens?” Jack asked.

“What? I didn’t do anything! All I did was ring them and let them know I found their wrecked space craft and a survivor.”

“Did you tell them what happened and how Gar’s doing?” Jack asked.

“Of course, I told them he’s brilliant, has his own cave and everything.”

“Oh really. Well, what a relief for them to know the orphaned kid’s been living alone in a cave. Geez Doc, couldn’t you have made it sound better and told them that Rose and I were caring for him?”

“Jack, there wasn’t exactly time and…”

“Enough! We’ll deal with this in the morning," Rose interrupted. "Let’s just spend the rest of the evening with Gar talking about it so he’s okay when these people swan in tomorrow. Gar needs us to help him. Arguing about it isn’t going to solve anything.” That night, the Doctor wanted to take Rose back to the TARDIS, but she wouldn’t leave Jack and Jack most assuredly was not going to leave Gar.

The Doctor eyed the pile of hay with distaste. “You two been sleeping in this?” he asked. Jack walked up and put his arm around Rose.

“Sure have. Care to take a roll in the hay with us?” Jack asked, with a wink. The Doctor sighed and looked at Rose who was grinning.

“Are you sure about this? I mean, there's a nice warm TARDIS, with a soft comfortable bed and, "he sniffed and made a face, "bath just around the corner." Rose and Jack glared at him.

“Riiight, yes, hay looks comfy and cozy,” he told them, walking over to the hay, kneeling down and fluffing it. Rose walked over, knelt down and tugged him next to her. Jack laid down on the other side of Rose. She smiled as she snuggled down between them. Jack looked over at Rose and the Doctor.

“I think Rose is enjoying this. Maybe we should try this at home?” he asked, and waggled his eyebrows.

The Doctor turned over, put his arm around Rose and snuggled up to her. He looked over a grinning Rose at Jack. “Not a chance."

“Awww, come on Doc, just a little snuggle.”

“Good night Jack,” the Doctor said quite firmly.

The next morning, they were awakened by a loud rumble. The Doctor sat bolt upright with hay stuck in his hair and on his clothes and turned to see Jack also sitting upright and yawning.

“Morning, Doc.”

The Doctor rubbed his eyes and looked down to see Rose still asleep. He shook his head. “Morning, Jack. Did you hear that rumble?”

“Yeah.”

“George,” all three of Gar’s heads called out.

“What is it Gar?”

Gar turned and looked nervously at the cave entrance. “George, Gar is scared by big metal rock.”

“Don’t be scared buddy. Give us a lift down and let us take a look,” Jack asked. By this time Rose had awakened and was rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Gar lifted all three down and they stood at the cave entrance staring at a massive ship that had landed outside the cave and three enormous three-headed giants who looked just like Gar who stood glaring at them.

“Better let me handle this,” the Doctor said, as he strode out with a smile plastered to his face. Rose looked worriedly at Jack.

“I better go with him.” Jack gave Rose’s hand a squeeze looked up and winked at Gar and followed the Doctor. One of the Glyrankians stepped forward and began growling loudly at the Doctor accusing him of holding their child hostage while the others murmured loudly and wielded what looked like metal clubs. The Doctor held up his hands and tried to calm them down professing his only desire was to reunite Gar with his people. Jack strolled up next to the Doctor and all eyes squinted and stared at him with suspicion. He smiled and nodded at the growling giants.

“I promise you, Gar is fine, better than fine. Isn’t he Jack,” the Doctor said, and nodded toward Jack but still looking at the Glyrankian in front of him.

“Hi there, I’m uh George, Gar’s friend. Look, Gar told us his family’s ship crashed her a long time ago and he’s been alone all these years. I just want you to know he’s a very sweet kid and I like him. He’s my friend. I want him to be able to go home to his family and get all the things he needs. Will you help him?” The Glyrankian stared at him with all three heads which then turned to the Doctor.

“Explain your presence. This world is primitive. Who attacked our people. Where is our child?” the heads said in turn.

“I’m not sure what caused the ship to crash. We only just arrived here. This primitive culture had legends about Gar so George here and our friend Rose came to find him while I scanned the area. I found the site of the crash but the remains were buried over the years. I’m afraid there’s not much to show you. I was able to unearth some pieces which I can give you. We talked with Gar and he told us his uncle survived and set him up in this cave. Unfortunately, he was injured in the crash. He’s buried deep within the cave system.”

The Glyrankians groaned and their heads shook back and forth. Jack stepped forward.

“I haven’t known Gar long, but I do know he’s a great kid. Your ship scared him a bit. He’s in the cave with his pet Muff and our friend Rose. Why don’t I go get him?”

“Doctor stays,” the lead Glyrankian’s heads growled.

Jack smiled. “Of course. I won’t be a moment.” He turned to the Doctor. “Try not to annoy them would ya?”

“Just go, George.”

With a little persuasion, Jack was able to talk Gar into accompanying him to meet the Glyrankians. Gar, with Muff, Jack and Rose all came out. Everything was a bit stilted, but with Rose’s and Jack’s encouragement, soon Gar opened up to them. In the end, the Glyrankians convinced Gar to go back with them. They collected the artifacts the Doctor had unearthed and retrieved the buried remains of Gar’s uncle. As they were leaving, Gar with Muff by his side, turned to Jack.

“George is coming with Gar. George is Gar’s friend. Gar loves his George and even George’s pet too. Gar can’t leave without his George.”

Rose and the Doctor were holding hands watching Gar and Jack. They saw Jack look up at Gar and something flashed in his eyes. Rose felt her eyes tear up as Jack walked over to Gar and Gar picked him up.

“Gar is George’s friend too,” Jack told him softly, and patted him on the arm. “Gar, you need to go home with your people and I have to stay with my people. Look at them Gar, they can teach you how to be a Glyrankian. I can’t do that, buddy. You’re going to have such a fantastic life and you won’t have to live in a cave all by yourself worrying about running into scared and angry villagers. You deserve better than this. You know, we’ll always be friends. Maybe one day we’ll even run into each other again.”

Tears rolled down Gar’s faces and he looked at Jack. “George cannot come with Gar because he would miss his Rose and Doctor, George’s pets. Gar understands, but will miss his George.” Gar smooshed Jack to his chest and ruffled his hair. The other Glyrankians looked on in confusion and then one stepped forward and patted Gar on the back. He looked down at Jack.

“Thank you, George.” Jack looked up and nodded.

“Just promise me you’ll take care of him.” The Glyrankians all put their multiples hands to their chests and bowed to Jack. Gar put Jack gently down next to the Doctor and Rose. Jack looked up at him.

“Be good, study hard but have fun. Remember, George is always with you in here,” Jack told him in an emotional voice, and patted his hand over his heart. The Doctor and Rose walked up to Jack and hugged him as the Glyrankians left. The three of them quickly rounded up the cattle. Rose and Jack herded the cattle back toward the town while the Doctor flew the TARDIS to town to meet them. Rose and Jack slipped away from the joyous villagers as quickly as they could and collapsed in the TARDIS. All of them breathed a sign of relief as they headed home.

After their Switzerland adventure, Jack, the Doctor and Rose lounged around the house relaxing for a few days. While the Doctor repaired his broken Sonic or worked on some project for the TCB or the TARDIS garden, Jack and Rose were lounging in the garden, on shopping runs or playing games in the library. During one evening, Rose and Jack were playing a rousing game of Jenga while the Doctor sat nearby working on some new settings for his newly rebuilt sonic and muttering under his breath when Rose’s mobile rang.

Rose answered and greeted Jake with a cheery voice. Jack and the Doctor looked up with interest as Rose shouted out “No way! Really? I mean seriously, electric cockroaches?” At this last comment the Doctor, jumped to his feet with an excited gleam in his eyes spilling parts and equipment all over the floor. Rose looked up at him and grinned. “Yeah Jake, I think we can. We’ll see you in the morning first thing.”

The Doctor bounced over “Well?” he asked her.

“Yeah Rose, come on, spill,” Jack cajoled her, also smiling with excitement.

“I think you heard. Jake says they found an infestation of these cockroach like bugs that seem to generate some kind of charge of electricity. They’re shorting out equipment and causing some power surges that are sparking fires. They’ve captures some and want you to take a look,” she said to the Doctor, who was bouncing up and down next to her on the sofa.

“I want to see the electric cockroaches,” Jack said, now scooting over next to her on the floor.

“Course, Jack. Pete wanted you to see Torchwood so this is good as time as any."

“Right, we’ll head out first thing then. So, have either of you ever played sonic Jenga?” the Doctor asked and aimed his sonic at the Jenga pieces.

##

The next morning, Jack, Rose and the Doctor walked into Torchwood. As they rode the elevator up to meet Pete, Jack smiled at Rose and the Doctor.

“What?” the Doctor asked.

“Nothing, just for a secret alien fighting force defending the Earth, it’s all a bit business-like.”

“It’s not all that secret, Jack. The public knows about Torchwood and knows we handle security and odd stuff. After the whole cyberman disaster, things are a bit more open,” Rose explained.

“Besides, this place is far more secure than you think. This building and the substructure is protected by technology that Torchwood scavenged from crash sites and that fell through the rifts in time in space that seem to exist on this world,” The Doctor explained and paused looking up at a hidden camera in the elevator. “Not that I condone any of it, but Torchwood does tuck away some dangerous things that inadvertently end up here. Some things should not be sitting around for any John, Jane or Albert to trip over and blow up the planet.”

“Thanks, Doctor. I think we all get your point,” Rose said, and patted him on the arm. They exited the elevator and were waved into a conference room filled with Torchwood agents and which Pete was overseeing. As they entered, Pete paused and everyone looked at them. Suddenly all the agents grinned and called out “George” in unison. The Doctor smirked and Rose giggled quietly. Jack stared at the Doctor and raised an eyebrow.

“Welcome to Torchwood,” Rose finally choked out through her giggles.

Several of the agents grinned. Jake stood up and walked over to them. “Jake Simpson,” he said to Jack, shaking his hand.

“Captain Jack Harkness, nice to meet you.” Jack made no attempt to hide checking him out. Jake smirked a bit.

“So, the Doctor told us about the whole giant thing. Sounds like you know how to handle yourself with the weird stuff, that you think on your feet," Jake acknowledged. "The Doctor and Rose say your top notch and they trust you. If they trust you, then maybe you’re all right. Course, that also might mean you’re a bit of a nutter. Around here, that’s almost a requirement!” Jake slapped him on the back. Jack looked over at the Doctor and Rose who sat down at the table and indicated a chair next to them. For the first time in a long time, Jack was starting to feel like maybe he had more than a ride and a posh place to live.

After the Doctor and Jack looked over the lab reports and readings taken from the bugs, they were identified as a species that hibernated in casings and emerged every hundred years and probably arrived on this planet on some ship that crashed here long ago. A plan was formulated for their capture and containment.

After the meeting, the three of them walked with Pete to his office. As they sat down, Pete perched on his desk and crossed his arms. “So, a three headed giant huh?”

“Yep! Oh, and don‘t forget the giant‘s pet, George over there,” the Doctor said, nodding toward Jack and resting his trainer clad feet on the desk next to Pete. Pete looked down at where the Doctor's shoes and Rose poked him and murmured, “rude.” The Doctor quickly shifted and sat upright in the chair

“Yeah, well don‘t forget George’s pets,” Jack said, and leaned back with his arms behind his head smirking at the Doctor and Rose.

“George’s pets?“ Pete asked.

“Yeah, that would be the Doctor and Rose. Guess they left that part out.” Jack grinned even wider.

Pete tried to look sternly at the Doctor, but a smile crept onto his face.

The Doctor scowled at Jack. “Soooo, Pete, anything else for us?”

“Yeah, so you handled this giant thing and everyone’s all right. What’s next?”

The Doctor squirmed. “You want to talk about that now? Here at Torchwood?”

“Yes, and there’s no reason not to. This office is sound proofed and I run a continual sweep for any listening devices. It’s secure so spill.”

“Oh, all right,” the Doctor said, in a petulant tone.

“The next task is based on Hercules’ labor to retrieve three golden apples from the tree of the Hesperides. According to the myth, the golden apples were special as they were given by Gaia, the earth-mother, to Zeus and Hera as wedding gifts. Hera planted them in her garden which was in a hidden location, of course. Now, these apples were special. If you consumed them, they made you immortal. Hera sent a dragon, by the name of Ladon, to guard them. Ladon was this immortal creature with one hundred heads who lived in the tree. Course, just to be sure, she also had the Hesperides guarding the tree. They were nymphs who tended the garden.”

“Garden nymphs?” Jack asked grinning. “That has potential.”

“Stop it!” the Doctor warned. “Where was I? Oh yes, the garden. Herc didn’t know the location of the garden which made the task even more difficult. So, he set off to investigate and started questioning some of the immortals and demigods along the way on his travels. Of course, Herc did come across a few who were, well, a bit homicidal like Cycnus, who liked to kill travelers and offer their flesh as a sacrifice to his good old dad, the god of war. Herc didn’t put up with that and killed him.

"Course, not all of the immortal beings were nasty. Some like the river nymphs let him know to check out a bloke by the name of Nereus, also known as the old man of the sea. Nereus was a stubborn old fellow and basically told Herc to sod off. So Herc, being the impetuous, aggressive fellow he is, wrestled with Nereus holding him down until he told him which way the garden was. In the end, he did tell Herc, but wasn’t happy about it.

"Next immortal Herc ran into was Prometheus who Zeus had chained to this big old rock as punishment for being a bit naughty. A bit gruesome that. Each day his liver was torn out and eaten by an eagle then every night the liver would grow back, to be torn out again the next day.

“Blimey, these Greeks were bloody!” Rose commented, and wrinkled her nose in distaste.

“Yes well, Herc felt the same way so he freed Prometheus who, of course, was pretty pleased. He told Herc to ask his brother Atlas for help. Atlas was another bloke being punished by Zeus, only his punishment was to carry the world on his shoulders.

"So on Herc went running into a rather nasty giant by the name of Antaeus who Herc ended up killing since he had a rather bad attitude and tried to kill Herc first. Then there was King Busiris who had a nasty habit of sacrificing travelers to his favorite gods. Well, that king picked on the wrong traveler and you guessed it, Herc did away with him and his priests.

“There’s an awful lot of killing going on in this thing,” Rose said, starting to fidget.

“Yes, well the Greek Gods were a bit melodramatic and blood thirsty. So, let’s see we left off with Herc sort of leaving a bloody trail on his way to the garden didn’t we? Finally, Herc found the garden and remembering the advice from Prometheus, he went straight to Atlas. Herc offered to take the burden from his shoulders if Atlas would fetch three golden apples from the garden. Now, Atlas was thinking this was a great way to foist off his load on Herc and agreed. 

"Course, he came back with the apples but told Herc he was done and have a good time bearing my burden. Herc was a clever old sod and told Atlas he rather enjoyed this job, but would Atlas mind holding up the world so he could adjust his cloak. Atlas, being a bit foolish, said ‘sure, why not’. After he handed off the burden, Herc grabbed the apples and he was outta there. Sad part about this, is after all that, he delivered the apples to King Eurystheus and the good old king said he didn’t want them and gave them back to Herc. After a bit of head scratching, Herc rang up Athena and asked her to return them to the garden.”

“All right. Now, what does this mean for you? What exactly is your task?” Pete asked.

“Our task is similar, but with a few quirks.”

“Quirks? What kind of quirks?” Pete asked, suspiciously.

“Well, there are legends on this world of a tree of ultimate knowledge.”

“You mean like in Genesis?” Rose asked.

“Wellll sort of. There are many legends and myths that refer to the Tree of Knowledge or the Tree of Conscience mentioned in many texts from many religions and cultures including Christianity, Islam, Hebrew, Norse and Indian. Each has it’s own spin on it. Now, our task is to find the tree, pick three pieces of fruit from it and remove them from the garden without dying.”

“That’s it?” Pete asked, still not buying this story.

“Uh No. This tree is guarded by a dragon and nymphs not to mention lots of nasty things along the way. Also, it’s location is a secret.”

“So, you’re saying we have to find the secret fruit bearing tree, fight off the nasty things including a dragon to get to it and pick some fruit. What are we suppose to do with this fruit?” Jack asked.

“The scroll only specifies that we locate the tree, pick the fruit and take them beyond the boundaries of the garden and oh yes, survive said picking of fruit and fruit removal which I admit, is a challenge,” the Doctor acknowledged, scratching his head and looking out the window as if it held the answer he needed.

“I dunno Doc, sounds suspicious to me. There’s got to be something else to this,” Jack said, getting up from his chair and pacing the room.

I agree with Jack. This doesn’t sound right. This thing, is it here on Earth and I mean in present day?” Pete asked, drumming his fingers on his desk.

“Yep!” the Doctor told them.

“Is there a deadline on this one?” Rose asked.

“Yes, but we have the TARDIS so that’s not an issue.”

“Right, so what is it?” Rose pushed.

“Fine, it’s the blue moon which is two weeks from today.”

Rose stood up and walked to the window and stared out over the city. “Rose?” the Doctor asked and bounced out of his chair to stand next to her. She turned and looked at him and then Pete and Jack.

“Jack’s not coming with us on this one,” she said, with certainty.

“What!” Jack and Pete asked simultaneously.

“What do you mean, Rose? Why not?” Jack asked, stalking over in front of her.

“You just have to trust me on this one. You’re not meant to be on this one with us.”

“I don’t understand, Rose. Did I do something? You know I’ll always watch both of your backs. I owe you and you’re my friends.”

Rose smiled and walked over and hugged him. She stood back and looked him in the eye. “Oh Jack, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re family now. I can’t explain it, but I just have this gut instinct it’s suppose to be. I just have this feeling that you need to be here.” She looked at Pete who looked her in the eye and nodded and then she turned to the Doctor. “I think I know whose supposed to be with us on this and I think you do too, don’t you?” she asked the Doctor. He looked her in the eyes and grasped her hand.

“I think I do,” he murmured.


	48. Seeking the Tree of Knowledge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins the next task - retrieving the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge which is located in a secret garden. This is the second to last task and things are taking a bit of a darker turn from this point forward. Reminder - TCB - Time Creature Below which is the living TARDIS coral that lives beneath the Manor. Thank you to Who_in_whoville who helped me work on the plotting of this task.

Rose wandered into the library where she found the Doctor and Jack pouring over maps and pulling up any myths, prophecies, journals or any information in the Torchwood archives about the Tree of Knowledge. She let out a huge yawn and the Doctor and Jack looked up at her. The Doctor walked over and hugged her.

“Rose, how are you feeling?” he asked, softly.

“Fine, just tired. You two find anything?”

“Yep, we have it pinned down to South America,” the Doctor said as he led her over to the table filled with maps.

“Torchwood put the data into a program the Doc and I designed and most of the results it’s spitting out indicate it’s somewhere near the Amazon River,” Jack said, tapping on one of the maps.

“Another jungle.” Rose closed her eyes and shook her head. “Last trip to a jungle didn’t end so well,” she said without emotion as she stared through the windows into the garden.

“Rose, you sure you’re okay?” Jack asked, worried. “You still having those nightmares.” Rose looked back at him as the Doctor grasped her hand also looking at her with worry in his eyes. She had been having nonstop nightmares since they’d met with Pete at Torchwood to discuss the next task.

“Yeah. Just can’t seem to get through a night without ‘em. I just wish I knew why I keep seeing these things.”

“Rose, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but it might help if you do,” the Doctor said, pulling her into his arms. She nestled her head against his shoulder, eyes tightly shut, and clung to him as if her life depended on the physical contact.

“The Doc’s right. This may be more than just a nightmare," Jack suggested. "Sweetheart, I know it’s hard, but we want to help you.”

Rose looked up at the Doctor, her eyes filled with fear and emotion. “Is this the Eternals?” she whispered. “Are they doing this to me?”

The Doctor tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Let’s sit down and talk it through.” He walked her over to the sofa and they sat down while Jack poured a cup of tea for them. He sat on the other side of Rose and handed her the warm cup.

“Thanks, Jack.” She sipped and inhaled a deep breath. “I was on a boat on a river of blood. There was blood everywhere and bodies floating in it,” she said, with a trembling voice. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her and encouraged her to continue. 

“There were storm clouds and it started to rain. The jungle on either side was dark and it was like I knew there were horrible things in there just watching me. I could hear screams and it was as if the jungle was alive. Then I wasn’t there anymore. I was somewhere else. It was black and cold and the two of you were there but it was like you couldn’t hear or see me or one another. Doctor, you were just standing there staring into the darkness while Jack was screaming, he fell to his knees and was gripping his head. And, and….” Her eyes teared up and she turned into the Doctor's shoulder.

“Shhhh it’s all right, Love. We’re right here everything’s fine. It was just a dream,” the Doctor assured her, pulling her into his arms as Jack took the tea from her shaking hands. Soon, both men were holding her and she calmed down. She took a deep breath and let it out.

“You don’t have to go on if you don’t’ want to,” Jack assured her.

“No, I want to. If this means something, we need to figure it out.” 

Jack and the Doctor exchanged worried looks. Rose swallowed hard before looking over at the Doctor. “Doctor, you weren’t the only one in my nightmare. There were other yous but, something was off. It was the way they looked at me, hard, cold and calculating and...I was afraid. I’ve never been afraid of you, but this time…" She paused and tamped down the fear. 

"It was like something dark had possessed them and I knew they wanted to catch me and lock me up and do horrible things. It was like the High Priestess Pia told me at the Temple of Neatha on Cleone. He’s the raging river, wild, uncontrolled and violent ready to overflow its banks and rain destruction on the land around it consuming anything in its way. The oncoming storm with no one to stop him from raging his way across the universe. But then, I’m some place else. It’s like that dream I had before we moved here, the one with the Fluffy Fezzby. I’m in a garden maze, but there are these snake type things in the bushes whispering things.”

“What type of things?” the Doctor asked, intently, lacing his fingers with hers.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember." Her voice faded and she stared blankly for a moment. "I only know that I was frightened and it made me run until I wasn’t in the maze anymore. Then, I was at that pond with the Golfer.”

“Golfer?” Jack asked with raised eyebrows.

“It’s an Eternal thing,” the Doctor answered. “Go on, Rose.”

“It wasn’t just the Golfer there. There was someone else, someone dark but I couldn’t see his face. I just knew I couldn’t come home to you until something happened. Faces flashed in the pond." Rose squeezed her eyes shut. "My Doctors, all of you, Jack, Mum, Pete, Tony, Jake and people at Torchwood and then, people from our other universe and the water was rippling around them. I saw fire, blood and terrible things. I just wanted it to stop but I couldn’t stop it. I just knew that some things had to come to pass.” Rose was trembling and tears were running down her face. The Doctor pulled her into his lap and once again held her tightly to him.

“It’s going to be all right, Rose. We’re in this together. I won’t let you face this alone.”

Jack paled. “Doc, does any of that mean anything to you?”

He looked up at Jack and there was a dark storm brewing in his eyes. “Eternals. I’d wager their doing their best to destroy our confidence. They know how deeply Rose cares for us. She’s also the only one of us to have been to the Netherworld and faced them in their own territory. Our last task will take us to the Netherworld. Rose having been there gives us an advantage, not to mention, that Rose is a bit special in her own right.”

“How do you mean?” Jack asked.

"She’s been touched by time." The Doctor pressed soft kisses against her temple. "She merged with my TARDIS in our original universe and absorbed the time vortex. It changed her and is changing her still. The three of us are unique, Jack. No one else like us in the multiverse, well, at least that I know of. Part of what she’s seeing could be possible time lines. Her mind isn’t trained to handle that and it could manifest in the form of nightmares. It’s her brain’s way of coping.”

“Doctor, there’s more,” Rose said, after she had collected herself. She looked at him. “I think I saw the Tree of Knowledge. I was in this garden but it wasn’t like any garden I’d ever seen. It was filled with strange plants and there were these fairy-like girls running around, laughing, hiding and peeking at me from the shrubbery and trees. 

"I saw this massive tree with golden fruit and there was this snake-like thing wrapped around it. It just stared at me with green eyes. The wind blew through the garden and I could smell something sweet and there was a sound like wind chimes. Then, there was this voice that was sort of whispering to me. It said, 'The bitterness of the fruit will stay with you forever.'”

Before any of them could say anything Perry quietly entered the room. “Ah, but the bitterness of fruit belies the sweet reward of new life it bestows to the world,” Perry countered, smiling at Rose who looked up at him and returned his grin.

“Perry! Good of you to join us. Please come have a cup of tea,” the Doctor greeted. Rose scooped up the carafe.

“Why don’t I go brew up a fresh kettle and see if I can find some biscuits.” 

Jack stood up as well. "I'll give you a hand." He winked at her but shot a knowing look at the Doctor.

“Brilliant idea!” the Doctor said, enthusiastically. After Rose and Jack left, Perry sat next to the Doctor who fidgeted and tugged at his hair. “So Perry, the reason I asked you to step in for a moment is…”

“You require my assistance on your next Eternal task,” Perry finished for him.

“Yes, but how did you know that?”

Perry smiled. “This is a quest to seek the legendary Tree of Knowledge which lies in the garden of the gods. Many worlds seem to have a legend about the Tree of Knowledge. Perhaps, there is some truth if so many worlds and civilizations share such a belief. On my own world, to seek out this tree was considered a holy quest. How could I resist the opportunity to join you on such an auspicious journey.”

“You do understand that this will be dangerous and physically trying. The Eternals will do anything to see to it that we fail. I’ve told you all we’ve encountered, the death and destruction we’ve faced. Are you sure this is what you want?” the Doctor asked, staring at him seriously.

Perry smiled again, his hands folded and relaxed in his lap. “Doctor, it is not a matter of want but what must be. When I first arrived here, I told you that I was drawn to you and your garden. Now, I am drawn to follow you on this quest.”

The Doctor stared him and shivered. He nodded his head. “All right then. Once we pinpoint the location, we’ll make preparations to be on our way. Welcome aboard, Perry.” Rose and Jack walked in with fresh tea and a plate of ginger biscuits. As she poured fresh mugs, she looked over at the maps and paused.

“Doctor, the area you’re looking at, it’s within this circle you drew, right?”

The Doctor, Jack and Perry walked over to stand next to Rose. “Yes, why? Do you see something?”

“The location would be in a most uninhabited location far from the eyes of civilization," Perry noted, contemplating the map. "I believe some of the myths say it is a located in a place of moderate climate surrounded by fertile, wild, untouched land."

“It is possible there is some non-terrestrial technology at work here. Perhaps a perception filter of some sort. Rose?” the Doctor asked.

She looked up at him. “You don’t see it?”

“See what?” he asked, frowning.

“Yeah Rose, what is it?” Jack asked, staring intently at the map.

“Here, ‘Lobo Floresta,’ wolf forest and here ‘Assombrada a Cyu,’ sky spirits and look at the location. It’s far away from any towns.” She walked over to the laptop and pulled up satellite imagery which she overlaid with a map of odd energy readings which Torchwood tracked. “Look at this. There’s a weird pattern over this area here,” Rose said, pointing to spot on the map located within the area they had circled.

“Of course!” the Doctor shouted, slapping his hands on the map.

“How could we have missed that?” Jack asked, shaking his head.

Rose grinned. “Cause you lot always over think things and sometimes a little woman‘s intuition is just the thing to solve a problem.” After many hugs, they began planning their trip.

###########

The next morning, Perry appeared at the TARDIS with a light backpack and a walking stick dressed in light denim trousers, white cotton dress shirt and a green vest. Jack walked up to the three of them standing outside the TARDIS.

“So, I guess you’re off.”

“Yep. Time to get on with this great fruit picking expedition,” the Doctor told him, while staring at the Manor as if memorizing every detail.

Rose walked up to Jack and threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly to her. “Be careful, Jack. You may be immortal but you can still be hurt. Promise me you’ll take care.”

Jack pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes before breaking out into a huge grin. “Oh come on, Rose! You know me!”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m reminding you. When I get home, I want you in one piece.” She poked him in the chest for emphasis.

“Yes, by all means, one piece of Jack is certainly enough,” the Doctor teased. The smile fell from his face. “Don’t forget what we talked about,” he said solemnly. “The TCB is self sufficient in many ways but, she gets lonely, as lonely as you were on Crescere.”

Jack nodded and threw his arms around the Doctor, embracing him tightly before he stood back. “Just don’t think you can take off and leave. You’re not back here by the wedding and Jackie and I will be coming after you.”

The Doctor smiled. “Now there’s a thought scary enough to terrify an Eternal.”

Rose thumped him on the shoulder. “Careful, that’s my mum you’re talking about!”

Perry walked up to Jack. Jack reached out to take his hand only to find that Perry wrapped both hands around his and pressing something into his palm. “You are stronger than you think but remember, the deeply rooted plant withstands even the harshest environment while the unrooted plant floats at the whim of the wind and weather.” Perry stepped back and looked up at the manor for a moment, turned and walked toward Rose and the Doctor. Rose took his hand and lead him into the Tardis. The Doctor stared at Jack and nodded before walking into the TARDIS. Jack tightened his hand around Perry’s gift as the TARDIS dematerialized.

##########

The TARDIS landed in the jungle near a small town called Enmaleado. The Doctor strode out and was immediately enveloped by heat and humidity. The air was heavy and carried the scent of dampness and living things as well as an undertone of decaying plant life. It had a rich stillness to it as no wind permeated the dense jungle canopy. Tall trees stretched skyward with lichen and vines growing up the bark. Dense ground cover and ferns surrounded them. The Doctor bounced noting the ground was spongy with dampness and decaying leaves. Wrinkling his nose at his already damp skin, he removed his jacket, tie and unbuttoned his white dress shirt. Rose followed him out dressed more for a safari with a loose three quarters sleeve cotton shirt and khaki trousers and carried her backpack over one shoulder. Perry slowly stepped from the TARDIS behind her. A bright smile lighted his face in delight at the lush, dense jungle. He walked over, laid his hand on the trunk of a tree and closed his eyes communing with the jungle.

“Doctor, is this where we’re suppose to be? I hear voices nearby?” Rose asked.

“Yes well, this is as close as the TARDIS would land. Something’s got her nervous.” The Doctor put on his glasses and went over to examine some of the foliage. He pulled out his sonic and scanned the area. We’re not far from the town, Enmaleado.”

“Do you think the Tardis is nervous cause of those weird energy readings Torchwood detected?” Rose asked. The Doctor looked at his sonic and tapped it on his thigh looking at the trees.

“Probably. There’s definitely some advanced technology near here.” Perry walked up to them.

“Perhaps we should proceed to the river and see about hiring transportation?” he asked.

“Quite right, Perry, my friend. To the river!” the Doctor said, flourishing his hand in the air. He pocketed his sonic and grabbed Rose’s hand. They marched through the jungle followed by Perry.

Rose was amazed at how tall the trees were and the amount of plant life. She noticed vines wrapped around the trees and almost engulfing some of the smaller foliage as she tried not to trip over the thick roots protruding from the ground. Some of the plants had leaves the size of umbrellas. The shades of green varied from dark to neon shades. Intermixed with the foliage were beautiful flowers in blues, pinks and whites. Above them the trees were filled with life. Monkeys and birds almost danced tree to tree, singing, chirping and calling out to one another. The lower areas seemed to be crawling with rodents and insects, some of which Perry explained were quite poisonous. Any branch they touched on their trek could contain some insect that could kill them with a bite or sting.

Luckily, they were not too far from the river and the town of Enmaleado. The Doctor left Rose and Perry to explore the small market area filled with people selling a variety of produce, animal pelts, grains and supplies. About an hour later, he returned smiling brightly.

“I’ve hired a river guide to take us down to the area near where we think the garden is. We’ll have to trek a bit through the jungle, but it shouldn’t be too bad. In the mean time, we can enjoy a leisurely river cruise.”

“A river cruise,” Rose asked, arching her brow. “Why do I think it’s going to be the opposite of leisurely?”

“Oh, come on now! We’re taking a cruise on the Amazon! It’ll be brilliant!” Rose nodded her head knowing this is about the time when something tried to eat them, something blew up or the aliens attacked.

When they arrived at the river and saw the boat, Rose shook her head in dismay and looked at the Doctor who was grinning and rocking back on the balls of his feet. The boat was a grimy white and twenty-Five feet in length with an enclosed cabin and a blackened smoke stack coming out of the engine. It had fishing gear and crates stacked at one end. It was dirty, decrepit and Rose wondered how it was still afloat. A tall, swarthy, unshaven man with dark, shoulder length hair tied into a pony tail dressed in khaki pants and dirty white tank top walked to the railing and leaned against a crate with a piece of wood and a large knife in his hands. He stared at Rose with dark, calculating eyes. Rose shifted under his gaze but refused to be intimidated.

“This the boat then?” she asked, swiping some hair behind her ear.

“Yep”

“Are you sure? I mean, it looks like something out of ‘The African Queen’ or at least built during that time.” Rose stared at some rusty bits crumbling off the boat.

“Rose, Alejandro assured me that he makes this trip all the time. He has to deliver supplies further on up so it’s not problem for him to stop and let us off and then pick us up on his way back.”

“You mean unless it sinks.” The Doctor rolled his eyes.

“Rose, this ship is a classic. They built things to last back then. Just look at this workmanship.” He waved his hand dramatically before the boat. During this conversation, Perry was examining the boat, stem to stern, only briefly looking at the pilot. He hopped on and made his way to the cabin. The Doctor followed him and held out his hand to Rose wiggling his fingers. She sighed, took his hand and followed him on board.

After they were on their way, Rose and Perry made their way to the stern of the boat where the Doctor was watching the jungle pass by. The air remained thick with very little breeze. But the area was stunning. It was truly a mass of various shades of green teeming with life. They could hear birds singing and monkeys screaming out along with the sounds of the river. The air was filled with the musty smell of the murky water. Although you couldn’t see beneath the surface very far, there were glimpses of fish swimming alongside the boat. Occasionally, birds would swoop into the water and fly off with a fish.

Rose looked back to where Alejandro was piloting the boat and he smiled at her and made no attempt to hide that he was staring at her chest. Rose looked away and back to the Doctor and Perry who were in a passionate discussion.

“Look, Perry! A Cercropia Tree! Oooo, maybe we’ll see a sloth! Sloths love to eat their leaves since they don’t contain the toxins found in other foliage in the rain forest,” the Doctor babbled with enthusiasm pointing to a tree on the river banks that they slowly floated past.

“Ahh, but they first must get around the vicious stinging Azteca ants that make their home in the hollow stems of the plant. Quite the symbiotic relationship,” Perry countered, his eyes alight with joy.

Rose was feeling off and walked to the other side of ship and looked across the water to the other bank. She closed her eyes trying to shake off the unsettled feeling. When she opened them Alejandro was standing next to her. She gasped and jumped a bit. He offered her flask.

“Uh, no, thank you,” she told him, backing away. He looked down at her chest again and licked his lips. “The river in moonlight would make for a nice swim. You want to go for a swim later, eh flower?” he asked leering. Before Rose could answer, the Doctor appeared putting his arm protectively around her.

“Alejandro, didn’t you say the currents are tricky in this part of the river? Perhaps you should keep an eye on the boat. Wouldn‘t due to run aground would it?” The Doctor's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Alejandro backed up but kept looking over his shoulder at Rose. Rose shuddered and buried herself in the Doctor’s arms. The rest of the day the Doctor never let Rose from his sight and not far from his side.

Of course, this meant that Rose had to listen to nonstop Doctor babbling. “Did you know that one-fifth of the total water reserves of the Earth flow through the Amazon. It is by far the river with the biggest volume worldwide. It’s the second longest river in the world and it releases an enormous quantity of water into the Atlantic, up to 300,000 cubic meters per second in the rainy season, with an average of 209,000 cubic meters per second. Isn’t that brilliant!

“Uh, Rose, you don’t look so good,” the Doctor said, observing all color leaving Rose’s face as she leaned over the side of the boat. He gaped as he watched her wretch over the side hurling the last vestiges of lunch into the dank waters beneath. He wrinkled his nose, his face contorting into a mixture of concern and revulsion.

“Blimey, but that is revolting!” he exclaimed, and took a step back. Perry handed Rose a damp flannel so she could wipe off her face and she turned and glared at the Doctor.

“Thanks a lot,” she mumbled to him and then turned to Perry. “Thank you, Perry. I think I may be a bit seasick, although it seems a bit weird not being on the sea. How rubbish am I getting seasick on the river.”

“Perhaps a bit of my special blend of tea will help settle you.” He smiled and patted her on the back as he left to brew her a pot. The Doctor walked over to where she slumped on the side of the boat.

“Technically you can be seasick on any body of water. The phrase ‘seasick’ is often used to describe any form of motion sickness characterized by a feeling of nausea….” He very wisely stopped his discussion as he saw the Tyler look of doom directed at him. “Um, I’m sorry your ill. You’ve never been motion sick before and the river is quiet here. Maybe it was just something you ate earlier? You didn’t drink any of the local water in the market did you?” he asked, concerned.

“No, only bottled water.” He put his arm around her, walked her over to a crate and sat down with her rubbing her back.

“Can Eternals curse you with seasickness like this?” she asked.

The Doctor chuckled. “No, this is different than influencing a dream. Remember, they can’t take direct action against us. They can only persuade people to take actions for them and I doubt this is the action they‘d influence. Not really their style.”

“It’s not funny. I feel terrible.” She slumped down, her arms wrapped around her middle.

“I know, Love. I’m sorry. It’ll only take another two days and then we’ll be on dry land.” Rose flinched when he said two days. Perry appeared with the tea which seemed to help her. That night Rose collapsed into the Doctor‘s arms in the cabin. Perry chose to sleep on deck under the stars. All of them slept blissfully unaware of the dark figure standing in the cabin doorway, outlined only in moonlight which glinted off the a large knife grasped tightly in his hand.


	49. The River of Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We left off with a dark figure holding a knife standing menacingly in the doorway of the darkened cabin on the boat taking the Doctor, Perry and Rose down the Amazon. 
> 
> Much of this task varies from the Hesperides Labor but I promise you once they arrive at the Garden, it will contain more traditional elements from the myth. The Amazon facts spouted off by the Doctor and Perry are real facts which I found via wikipedia, jungle photos.com, blogs from people who have traveled the Amazon as well as an episode of Man Woman Wild that took place in the Amazon. The myth about the Encantado (the pink dolphin) is an actual Amazonian River myth

Moonlight filtered in through the open door into the cabin. A small creak and a feeling of uneasiness roused the Doctor from his rest. Rose was spooned up against his back tucked under a light blanket. The hairs on his arms stood on end. Although his Time Lord senses were slightly diminished, now combined with human instinct, it brought him to a new sensory level. 

He didn’t need to open his eyes to hear the movement in the cabin or smell the acrid odor of un-bathed human nearby. His body tensed ready to spring into action as the ominous presence crept closer. The only thought on his mind was keeping Rose safe from whatever danger lurked in the dark. He opened his eyes as an eight inch blade made a swift descent toward his chest. He reached up and caught the arm wielding the blade. Heart hammering in his chest, he sprang out of bed and threw all his weight against his assailant. 

########

Rose awakened to grunts and curses. She bolted upright and called out, “Doctor!” 

Heart skipped a beat at the glint of the knife aimed at the Doctor fighting off his assailant on the floor. Torchwood training kicked in. She hopped out of bed dressed only in a t-shirt and knickers. She needed a weapon. A grunt sounded. She watched Alejandro's shadowy figure stand up in the moonlight. He grinned as the Doctor shot up in front of him. Alejandro slashed the knife through the air, darting forward closer to the Doctor. 

Rose's chest tightened until she could barely breath. She screamed “No!” as Alejandro lunged at the Doctor, the knife perilously close to the Doctor's throat.

Shaking but determined to save the Doctor, she found a heavy torch near the bed. Torch gripped in her hand, she vaulted out of bed and swung at Alejandro, bashing him across the back of the head. He stumbled backward and the Doctor lunged forward wrenching the knife away from him. Suddenly, Alejandro sprang back forward, growling he would kill the Doctor. Rose swung the torch at him but missed. Alejandro charged the Doctor shoving him against the cabin's inner wall. 

Rose moved to the side looking for an angle to strike but in the dark it was too dangerous. She might hit the Doctor.

Alejandro forced the Doctor's knife wielding hand back toward the Doctor's neck. "Rose get back!" The Doctor shouted as he kneed Alejandro in the groin, stunning him. He pushed the homicidal river boat pilot toward the open door. Rose shifted to the side, focusing on a strategy to disable Alejandro without injuring the Doctor. The two men struggled in the doorway while the Doctor pushed Alejandro further out of the cabin. Alejandro shifted suddenly and kicked the Doctor in the shin causing the Doctor to lose his balance and grip on the knife. Alejandro grabbed the knife and slashed the Doctor across the chest.

Rose slammed the torch at his head. He moved to the side, only grazed and leered at her before again focusing on the bleeding Doctor who shoved Rose to the side.

Panic clawed at her with the growing stain of red on the Doctor's t-shirt. There was no more time. She had to act quickly. The Doctor shot forward grabbing Alejandro's hand, fighting for the knife and shoving him out the cabin door. He head butted Alejandro, stunning him but the Doctor slipped on the deck giving Alejandro another advantage. 

Before he could stab the Doctor, Rose smashed him across the head again. He turned on Rose, the blade glinting in the moonlight as the Doctor gasped “Rose.”

Rose’s eyes widened as she held the torch before her. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Perry stealthily move behind Alejandro with his walking stick raised and struck him from behind. Alejandro dropped the knife. Rose swiftly and elegantly drop kicked him in the middle while the Doctor crawled up and grabbed his legs. Alejandro fell backwards toward the rail, his body half over the side. The Doctor tried to grip his legs but Alejandro kicked out hit him and he lost his grip. 

The struggling man called out and fell head first into the dark water. The Doctor, Rose and Perry ran to the side and searched the river for him. Eventually, he surfaced, the moonlight shining on the rippling water making it appear as some Van Gaugh painting. Alejandro surfaced covered in hundreds of small black, leeches now attached to his face and body greedily feeding from him. He screamed and thrashed in the water amid the swarm of leeches.

“We have to do something. We can’t just leave him like that,” Rose said, shuddering in revulsion and backed up against the cabin as far from the edge of the boat as she could get. She wrapped her arms around her body and looked at the Doctor.

“He tried to kill us or worse,” the Doctor answered darkly, walking to the edge of the ship and staring coldly at the screaming man.

“Yes, but we can’t just stand here while he’s killed by thousands of leeches.” Rose agreed with the Doctor but that didn't mean she could allow anyone to die such a horrible death.

The Doctor sighed and turned to her. “Rose, it would take a considerable amount of time for him to die from leeches, even as many as are covering him. If he stops thrashing about and gets out of the water to remove them, he'll be all right.” The Doctor looked down at his bleeding chest and then at the water knowing that Rose was too compassionate to let the murderous sod suffer.

“You’re not going in there!” Rose pushed away from the cabin and grabbed the Doctor's arm.

“You said you didn’t want him to suffer. What else do you want me to do?” the Doctor asked, in a gruff irritated tone.

Perry walked up with a long pole used for pushing the boat off from it's mooring. “Thank you, Perry,” Rose said to him, grateful for his suggestion. The Doctor gripped the pole and dipped it into the water near Alejandro.

“All right mate, you don’t deserve this but grab a hold and we’ll get you out.” Just as Alejandro was reaching for the pole, he let out a blood curdling scream and was violently pulled underneath the water.

“What the..” the Doctor abruptly backed away from the side of the boat.

“Doctor, I thought you said leeches weren’t that dangerous,” Rose's voice whispered, her heart pounding with fear, adrenalin and the stress of the night. 

All of a sudden, Alejandro burst out of the water and looked at them, his eyes bulging with fear and then they saw it. Coiled around Alejandro’s body was a massive Anaconda, it’s black scales undulating in the dark moonlit water as it slowly squeezed the life from him. He gasped once as a sickening crunching noise sounded and he slowly sank beneath the water. Rose turned away shaking. The Doctor backed up and put his arms around her and pulled her face into his shoulder.

“Doctor, perhaps it would be best if we left?” Perry softly suggested, staring at the dark water where Alejandro disappeared.

“Yes, yes of course,” the Doctor answered while pulling Rose with him as he went to start the motor and steer the boat away. He never let go of Rose who had grown silent and un-moving. After the boat began chugging away, he turned to where she sat beside him.

“Rose,” he said softly. “There was nothing we could do.” She nodded her head. Perry appeared with tea for all of them and sat nearby. Rose looked at the Doctor’s bloodied chest.

“You’re hurt. I’ll go get the first aid kit,” she said, her voice cracking.

Perry put his hand on her arm. “Why don’t you stay here with the Doctor. I’ll fetch the kit.” Rose numbly nodded as Perry quietly walked away.

“Rose,…”

“Doctor,…” the both spoke simultaneously. The Doctor smiled at her. “You go first.”

“He could have killed you and then… Doctor this is like my dream and you’re hurt,” she said softly, staring at the red blood stain on his shirt.

“Rose, I’m fine. It’s not that bad. I heal quickly, remember? As for your dream, let’s not get too carried away. You may have picked up a bit of this possibility, but the Eternals could be amplifying it to frighten you. Don’t let them influence you any further.”

Rose nodded and Perry returned with the kit. She opened it and began cleaning his wound. Perry took over navigating them to a shallow inlet to anchor for the rest of the night. “So, where’d you find our homicidal pilot anyway?” Rose asked, as she dabbed antiseptic on his injury making him wince.

“Well, I nipped into the local tavern. What better place to find a guide than the local drinking establishment.”

Rose paused and raised an eyebrow. “Right, you picked up our guide at some skivvy pub,” she said, as she finished applying plasters to his injury.

“What? Nothing wrong with that. Besides, we need to keep this quiet and he wasn’t the sort of bloke to gossip about where we’re going.”

“Course not. That’s because he was gonna rob us and dump our bodies in the river.” She paused as she packed up the kit. “But then again, that’s not what happened is it. I suppose evil begets evil, right?”

The Doctor snuggled close to her and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sorry that happened, but I’m not sorry that I protected you.”

She hugged him careful to avoid his injury. “We’re definitely not bathing or swimming in that river,” she said firmly.

“What, you have a problem with a couple of leeches?” he teased, with a grin.

“A couple, did you see all of 'em and what about the giant snake!”

“Well, we were moored in shallow, still waters and he just happened to fall into a prolific leech habitat. As for the Anaconda, that is a bit of a concern. They can grow quite large here, up to twenty feet or more. They’re nocturnal and primarily a water species. It was just by chance he landed near one large enough to attack. I doubt we’ll see any in stronger currents which is what we’ll be facing the closer we get to our destination. Besides, there’s worse things in this river like piranha. Not that piranha like to eat people, but if they should get a hankering they could strip the flesh from a normal sized bloke in about five minutes.”

“Oh my God! I’m never going in the water here.” Rose shuddered against him.

“Well, piranha aren’t the main concern. It’s at the microscopic level. I’d worry more about the bacteria in the water. It could make you violently ill.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before glancing out at the river.

“Definitely staying out of the water,” she said, as looked at the river with suspicion. The sky began to turn a warm shade of pink as dawn approached. They sat down on some crates and watched the sun rise with Perry.

“It’s so beautiful,” Rose murmured.

The sky bloomed with laveners and yellows as the sun slowly appeared bathing Rose in the morning glow. The Doctor turned and gazed at her and whispered, “Yes, very beautiful.”

Perry offered to make them some breakfast while the Doctor and Rose dressed and looked their GPS and some maps so they could continue their journey. The rest of the day on the river went by quietly. Perry pointed out various plants and wildlife to Rose who was delighted with his stories about the giant lily flowers, the endangered manatees and some of the beautiful butterflies which he told her would be found in the rain forest. 

Later that day, the rains came. It was warm, wet and miserable. The Doctor and Perry stayed on navigation duty and sent Rose to rest in the cabin. When she left, the two of them, were having a rousing debate about the medicinal benefits of some of the plants found in the rain forest and didn’t seem the least bit bothered by all the rain. Rose left them soaking wet and debating. She was exhausted from a pervasive nausea she couldn’t quite overcome along with the trauma of the night before and quickly feel asleep.

She was awakened later by droplets of water against her face. She looked up expecting a leaky roof only to find a handsome, fair skinned, blonde man. He was dressed in light cotton clothing that people in the area favored along with a straw hat on his head.

“Excuse me!” she shouted, pulling the blanket around her. He smiled and bowed his head. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, eyeing the door and trying to remember where she left the torch.

“Forgive me. I was drawn to the warmth of the cabin. I mean you no harm.” His voice was soft and melodic.

“Oh Yeah, and that’s why you were standing over me! Where’s the Doctor and Perry?” She tried to bide for time.

He looked to the stern. “Your friends are navigating the boat,” he said calmly, and sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the cabin. He made no threatening action toward her. He only seemed curious.

“Who are you? Do they know you’re here?” she demanded. He turned and smiled at her.

“You’re very beautiful. You would have made an excellent addition to our pod.”

“What?" Rose glanced at the door wondering where the Doctor was. She had a sneaky suspicion this was Eternal mischief.

He leaned over to touch her, but she slapped his hand away. “We’ve been following you," he said, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "You did well to be rid of the evil that was aboard this ship. He harmed many of my people. You are not like other land females." He cocked his head to the side. "There is a song inside of you. It is most attractive to us.”

Rose shivered. “What are you? You’re not human, yeah?”

He smiled and laid back across the bed caressing her leg beneath the blanket. He oozed sex appeal and under other circumstances Rose knew she might have been a attracted to him. Then, it hit her. “What are you doing?” she asked and yanked her leg away from him. He chuckled.

“The land dwellers call us the pink dolphins or the Encantado. Of course, that’s not true but, they are a simple people. We live in the deep waters near here. On occasion we take human form and mingle with the local land dwellers. Sometimes, we find suitable females for mating. It is only right considering the number of our kind that they murder.”

“You steal young girls from their families and carry them off to live with you in the water? But what about what they want, their families and what about needing to breathe?” Bloody fantastic. She had a mystical dolphin trying to seduce her. And she thought her life couldn't get any weirder.

He smiled. “We are shape shifters. We take appealing forms and show potential mates love and covet them. Once pregnant, they come to the river and transform and become one of us. There is nothing for them to miss once they learn the wonders of our world.”

“So, you thought you’d come in and try and seduce me? Well, sorry but I have a bloke and I’m not interested.” She telepathically thumped said bloke.

He smirked and leaned over her, staring intently at her with eyes like liquid silver. “Yes, well that’s not normally a problem. I could provide you with so much more and my people would be pleased to have you. It saddens me that I must leave without tasting what you have to offer.” 

He leaned back, his gaze trailing over her body before he abruptly stood up. “I cannot take you. You are already marked and mated. Pity,” he said, cocking his head to one side again. The door to the cabin burst open and the Doctor stood in the doorway, sonic in hand. He loomed tall and dangerous in the small cabin.

“Step away from her now!” the Doctor demanded, his voice soft and cutting. The oncoming storm flashed in his eyes.

The Encantado turned to him. “I mean no harm to your female. I wish to return to the river.”

“Wait!” Rose shouted. “You said you live in these waters. We’re looking for something. A special place with a special tree. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of any myths about the Tree of Knowledge?”

The Encantado’s eyebrows raised. “The forbidden place. My people do not go there. It is journey from the river to get there amidst creatures who are most unpleasant.” He turned to the Doctor. “It would be unwise to take your mate to this place. You will find nothing there but sorrow.”

“Perhaps, but we have no choice and I am more than capable of keeping Rose safe. Now then, I know about your kind and you have no further business here so I suggest you be off,” the Doctor said in a clipped voice, his eyes crackling with the fury of a Time Lord.

The Encantado turned to Rose with a compassionate look in his eyes. “When you see the black orchids, leave the river. The pink lilies along the bank would look beautiful in your hair. You should pick some. May their sweet scent guide you on your journey for it is the only pleasure you will find on such a quest.”

He turned and walked out of the room and dove gracefully over the side of the boat.

“Doctor,” Rose said softly, and he walked over and knelt by her.

“Are you all right? Did he do anything to you?” he asked looking her in the eyes, his hands cradling her face.

“No. He just sort of came in for a chat. He told me his people were attracted to me and he may have tried to put the ‘shagging whammy’ on me. It didn’t work and he told me I was marked and mated whatever that means." She scrunched up her nose and rubbed her arms. "Then, you busted in all angry and heroic which was kind of hot really.”

“‘The ‘shagging whammy?’ Really Rose,” he said, dropping his hands to his side and looking at her. Then it hit him. “Did you say I’m hot?” he asked, smirking as he slid onto the bed.

She smiled and drew her finger down the side of his chest. “Yeah. Definitely, all ‘I’m the manly man and you won’t touch my woman or I’ll sonic ya,’” she said, smiling up at him.

He sniffed and puffed up. “Well, think maybe I should stay in here and watch over you tonight. Perry can handle the boat.”

Rose grasped his hand and tugged him toward the bed. “Might do more than watch me, if you’re lucky,” she said, with a smile that showed just a bit of her pink tongue. He waggled his eyebrows, crawled into bed and soniced the door lock.

The next morning, Rose awakened to light streaming in and a thermos of tea by her bed. She smiled as she thought of the night she spent with the Doctor. She took a sponge bath, dressed and walked out to find Perry and the Doctor again discussing some of the plants and wildlife along the river. They seemed fascinated with something in the water. Rose walked over to see a swarm of fish swimming alongside the boat. “Morning! What are you two looking at?” she asked, as she leaned over the side.

“Rose! Good Morning! Aren’t the Piranha amazing!” the Doctor said to her exuberantly, as he and Perry threw bits of fish they must have caught earlier into the water. The bits of fish disappeared before her eyes as the piranha devoured them. Rose stepped away from the side. Perry walked up to her.

“Good day to you, Rose. Are you feeling well this lovely morning?”

“Yeah, fine so far. Thanks, Perry. Did the Doctor tell you about our visitor last night?”

“Ah yes. The mysterious Encantado myth which is now no longer a myth. The Amazon is truly a miraculous place. It is one of the few places on this planet that the cycle of life is so pervasive and which one can observe with the naked eye. It is fortuitous that particular life form chose to wisely leave and return to it’s habitat.”

Rose just smiled at Perry. He had such a way with words. Soon they reached a turbulent part of the river. The boat dipped and rocked from side to side. It took both the Doctor and Perry to navigate their way through the rocks and currents. After some tense shouting between them and some rather unpleasant grinding noises on the boat, they reached a place in the river where the surface was as smooth of glass. The river was wider in this area and they were coming to a place where it split.

“Doctor, which way are we going? Left or right?” Rose shouted back to him from the bow of the ship.

“We’re leaving the main river and taking the tributary to the right. It shouldn’t be much further along this waterway.” he responded, from the boat controls. Rose leaned against the railing and grinned back at him. He had his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, hadn’t shaven and had a delightful rumpled look which she had the satisfaction of knowing was due to his night with her. Perry walked up next to her and looked out at the river as they chugged along. Rose noticed that he was transfixed by the river and jungle they passed.

“Everything all right, Perry?”

“The flora and fauna in this area is quite different than those in the areas we traversed,” he said to her, staring along the banks of the quiet, still waters. Rose looked out nervously.

“Is that good different or bad different?” she asked, looking up at him. He turned and looked down at her with a small smile on his face.

“Perhaps it’s both. We must take care and make no assumptions here. This place is like no other on this planet. This is life untamed and untempered, beautiful, horrible and alive.”

Rose looked from Perry to the jungle and shivered. The quiet calm of the dark water was contrary to what she was feeling from the jungle. She felt the Doctor in her mind trying to soothe her and looked back toward him. His jaw was clenched and she knew that even he was effected by this place. An hour after they began their journey on this unsettling part of the Amazon, she saw the black orchids.

“Doctor, stop!” she shouted out. The Doctor eased off the motor, dropped anchor and bounded up to the bow.

“What is it Rose?”

“Look, black orchids just like the Encantado said,” she told him, pointing to the mass of black orchids growing in the trees.

“You want to listen to some shape shifter who came to cart you off to his underwater love nest?” he asked, snorting with sarcasm. She glared at him.

“I believe Rose is correct. This is the place." Perry pulled out the GPS from his pocket and handed it to the Doctor who stared at it and then the shoreline reluctant to admit the Encantado was correct. He let out a sigh.

“All right. We’ll anchor here and prepare to head into the jungle.”

Perry looked to the horizon which was darkening with the setting sun. “Perhaps it would be wise to wait until first light. The jungle can be quite challenging and dangerous in the light, much less in the dark of the night when the nocturnal species emerge.”

“Yeah, I agree with, Perry. Let’s spend the night on the boat,” Rose said, nervously playing with a piece of rope binding the crates. She swallowed hard as the shadows extended across the water from the trees. She didn't like this place. As darkness fell, the three of them jumped at every splash in the river or howl from the jungle. They agreed to share the cabin. Perry quickly moved his things inside while Rose lit an oil lamp and went in search of the Doctor. The noise of the jungle changed from bird song, rustling and chirping noises to grunting and growling. The Doctor locked down the ship controls and was focused on the shoreline as Rose walked up to him with the oil lantern. She looked into the darkened jungle which seemed to grow more sinister and again her insides trembled. She felt a sudden urge to run back to the cabin. Clouds drifted overhead obscuring the stars and moon wrapping the gently rocking boat in pitch black. The Doctor stood rigid and tense in dim glow of the lantern.

He picked up a torch sitting nearby him and shined it into the jungle. Rose gasped at what seemed like hundreds of glowing eyes reflected back in the light. Fear clawed its way through her. Her heart beat faster at thrashing in the jungle near the shore. She stepped closer to the Doctor's side as her hands shook. The deep croaking of the bull frogs intermixed with growling and grunting did nothing to calm her feeling of trepidation and unease. The Doctor flicked the light off and the air was filled with an unholy howling noise. Goose bumps raised on Rose's arms and the lantern swung in her shaking hands.

“Doctor, I think we should go in now,” she said, her voice trembling just the slightest. Rose Tyler had faced many things as she crossed the Void and not much scared her. But the insidious darkness of this place set off a very primitive fear nestled deep within her. The Doctor nodded and silently backed away, his eyes never leaving the jungle until they reached the warmly lit cabin. He gently pushed Rose inside and followed her sonicing the lock shut and securing all the windows.

Rose set the lantern down and dimmed it. Perry had set up his sleeping bag in a corner with his walking stick laying next to him. His eyes remained alert and his body stiff and uneasy. He dimmed his own lantern, nodded to them and settled down for the night. Rose crawled into bed fully dressed and the Doctor sat on the edge of the bed staring at the door. The room was thick with tension as the howling noises of the jungle increased and permeated the wooden walls of the cabin.

“Doctor?” Rose whispered.

“It’s all right. Everything’s fine,” he answered in an emotionless voice, still sitting rigidly on the bed. Finally, he turned to her. “Get some rest. We’ve a long day tomorrow.” He pulled the sheet up around her and kissed her forehead.

“What about you?”

“I’ll lay down in a bit,” he told her, and tenderly swept some hair off her forehead.

“I love you,” she whispered, and closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Sleep, however, did not last long. She sat up when she heard screaming along with a loud bang coming from outside the cabin. The Doctor was on his feet, sonic held out staring at the door. Perry was rising and standing behind him with his walking stick gripped firmly in his hand. Scratching and scraping noises sounded along with more banging and splashing. There was another scream like a woman in the last throes of death and something banged against the door rattling the lock. Rose jumped and reached for the heavy torch she had used in the fight with Alejandro and stood behind the Doctor. There was a growling noise and the sound of something heavy being dragged and then a splash.

Sweat ran down her back as fear banded around her chest. The three of them stood rigid. The air seemed thick with tension like it was pressing in against her. The frightening noises began anew only this time coming from on top of the cabin. Rose looked up and stared at the roof praying that whatever was up there wouldn’t break through. She heard wood splinter and the cabin shuttered as if something heavy was jumping up and down and trying to dig it’s way through to them. Rose dropped down to a squat and stared at the ceiling. Her ears pounded with fear and tears fell down her cheeks as the ceiling shuddered.

“Cover your ears!” the Doctor shouted. Rose set down the torch, squeezed her eyes shut and held her hands to her ears. A loud piercing noise filled the cabin and then silence. When she opened her eyes, the Doctor was on his knees rubbing his hands on his ears while still holding his sonic. Perry knelt next to him. Rose scurried over and took the sonic from him and tried to comfort him.

“I’ll be all right in a bit. Just can’t hear very much right now,” he said loudly. They helped him into the bed.

"Rest. I'll stand watch," Perry offered.

Rose nodded and curled around the Doctor rocking him and singing a quiet lullaby to calm his racing heart. Eventually, she drifted off asleep, cradling his head against her chest. When she awakened the next morning, she was alone and it was light out. Her backpack was prepped and sitting next to her bed. She climbed out of bed and prepared for their trek into the jungle. When she walked on deck with her backpack strapped on, her breath caught. There were gouges criss-crossing the deck of the boat and some of the metal railing was torn off. Most of the crates and equipment were floating in the river. The door to the cabin had huge claw marks on it. As she backed away toward the stern of the boat, she saw the Doctor and Perry working on the motor and steering mechanism. They looked up as she walked toward them.

“What happened?” she asked, as she looked at mangled metal controls.

“We had a little late night vandalism,” the Doctor answered, and stepped away from the motor, rubbing his hands on his trousers. “Nothing that can’t be repaired. Unfortunately, they dumped our fuel so we only have what’s in the tank.”

“Is the motor working?” she asked, as she eyed the metal parts littering the deck.

“Oh, it’ll last long enough to get us home,” the Doctor answered, and soniced the motor before walking over to her.

“We should get going and make it as far as we can before dark.”

Rose stiffened and glanced nervously at the jungle. Oddly, in the light of day it didn't look quite as frightening. But the memory of what lurked in the thick menacing green instilled fear. But it wasn't like they had a choice. She released a shaky breath. "You think we’re gonna make it to the garden before dark then?”

“I don’t know. We have to be prepared,” he told her, grabbing a hold of her hand. “It’ll be all right. I won’t let anything hurt you.”

“Yeah and what about you and Perry? I’m not real keen at the thought of being in the jungle with whatever destroyed the boat last night without any weapons or real way to defend us. And I‘m not gonna just sit there while you get all protective and heroic.”

“Rose, we don’t have any choice. We have to finish this.” His voice was strained and his face hard with determination.

“Yeah we do,” she answered, and smiled a bit. “But that doesn’t mean you do it by yourself. We do this together, the three of us.”

He smiled and leaned his forehead against hers, murmuring her name like a prayer. Perry stepped over to them.

“I believe I have assembled a raft that can take us ashore.”

The Doctor stared deep into Rose's eyes and she tried to convey her need to keep them all safe.

“Good plan, Perry! Let’s be off then." The three of them boarded the wood raft and used a pole to push them the short distance to shore. Rose tried to keep from looking at the water, but swore she saw leeches, snakes and piranha swirling around them. She tried to shake it off as they hopped ashore and dragged the raft out of the water. While Perry and the Doctor were securing it, she walked over and picked some of the pink flowers the Encantado had mentioned. She tucked some in her hair and some in her backpack. She paused by a vine enshrouded rough hewn stone monolith. She pulled some vines away and saw some symbols carved into it.

“Doctor! Come have a look,” she called out.

He walked over and inspected the six foot high monument. “Oh this is a bit lovely. Pity we don’t have time to study it.”

“What is it?” Rose asked.

“Oh it’s just sort of a local sign post put here by a local tribe.” Rose knew him well enough to know the fake smile on his face as he studied the marks and by how he glanced into the woods. She knew it was probably not a welcome to the jungle sign. When he turned to her, he stared at the flowers in her hair with a raised eyebrow.

“Better safe than sorry,” she told him. He shook his head and was about to say something when Perry indicated he found a fairly easy route to enter the jungle. The Doctor grabbed Rose’s hand and they followed Perry into the damp, dark rain forest.

It was slow going. The densely packed trees combined with thick underbrush, hanging vines and roots bulging from the ground made for a dangerous trek. They also needed to keep a sharp eye on any insects as several inhabiting this region were poisonous. They took care to not accidentally grip a branch with a poisonous centipede or the deadly Brazilian wandering spider. The heat and humidity quickly took their toll on the three of them and their clothes were drenched with perspiration. Rose had tied her hair in braids but still the top of her head was soaked. The consistently damp environment didn’t help matters and they often found themselves walking through mud and puddles.

After two hours of nonstop climbing and squeezing through the rain forest, they took a break. The Doctor handed Perry the canteen so he could hydrate. Perry remained their best resource. His empathy with the plants around them had been of great assistance and they had not needed to machete their way through as they would have without him. As the canteen was passed to Rose, she couldn't shrug off a heavy sensation they were being watched. She shuddered at the thought of the glowing eyes in the jungle of the previous night. The further they made it into the rain forest, the more she felt a consuming uneasiness mix with tired muscles and sweat trickling down her back. Something was coming but she didn’t know what.

“Right then! We should be off. More jungle to traverse and the GPS indicates that we need to head due Northwest,” the Doctor said aloud, pointing in the direction they needed to walk. Rose groaned but the thought of being in the jungle at night drove her onward. As they made their way froward with Perry in the lead, Rose swore she heard whispering from above in the rustle of the leaves of the trees. She saw movement out the corner of her eyes.

“Doctor,” she called out. “I think there’s something weird going on. The branches are moving.”

“Don’t let your imagination get the better of you, Rose. It’s probably just monkeys jumping from branch to branch. I’ve seen quite a few of them around.”

“Doctor, I haven’t seen any monkeys since we stopped. I swear, the trees are moving and there’s no wind here so…” She stopped and stared at one of the trees.

The Doctor sighed and turned toward her. “Rose, your tired and on edge. It’s just your imagination. I know last night was stressful but we need to oomph.”

“Doctor!” she shouted out, as he was physically yanked up into the tree canopy when several vines dropped from above and wound around him. Perry turned to her but before he could say anything, something swooped down and yanked him up as well. Rose stood there staring frantically up into the trees screaming for the Doctor and Perry. The noise of the jungle was silenced and the only sound was her voice and the whisper of the leaves.


	50. The Garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to think my F-listers who helped me with the riddles, especially Alakuriel who found one riddle in Dragon Age - Origins Game, Who_in_whoville who suggested The Hobbit and Timelord1 who pointed me to a dragon lore site. The ending is a bit sad. This picks up at the point that the Doctor and Perry were whisked away into the trees leaving Rose wondering what is going on.

Rose gaped in horror as both Perry and the Doctor disappeared into the tree canopy. They were gone and she was alone. Her chest tightened and her ears pounded. She looked around wildly, trying to find something to help her figure out what happened. The leaves of the tree were moving. The ground shifted under her feet as the roots moved. She slowly walked over to one of the trees and laid her palm against it. It was damp and rough but otherwise normal. She thought she felt a vibration or heard a groaning and creaking sound.

She looked up at the tree with her palm against its bark. "Please don't hurt my friends. We don't mean you any harm." She felt like a nutter for talking to a tree but it wasn't the craziest thing she had ever done and she had to try. Nothing happened. "Alright, maybe you don't quite talk. So, let's try the psychic thing," she muttered. Again, she pressed her palm on the tree harder, closed her eyes and thought friendly thoughts. She opened her eyes and stood back. Nothing happened.

"Why take them and not me," she shouted at the trees. Still, all she heard was the leaves rustling. There wasn't even any birds or animals in this area as there were earlier when they first entered the rain forest. She stepped forward peering into the trees trying to see the Doctor or Perry but there was nothing but dense green foliage. Panic clawed at her throat and she spun around seeking a clue as to her the Doctor and Perry. She stepped forward intent on her search and stumbled over a root landing on her knees. She needed to calm down and think. When she caught her breath and looked up, standing before her was the Eternal, Havoc, dressed in his immaculate navy suit staring at her with a slight smile on his face.

"Hello, Wolf. It's been a while since we last met. Not that I haven't had a few chats with your Doctor." He walked over to one of the trees and patted it like a pet.

"What have you done to the Doctor and Perry?" Anger simmered across her chest as she stood up.

"Nothing. I have done nothing," he answered calmly, leaning back against a tree, his cold dark eyes assessing her.

"Don't lie. This is your doing. It's just the sort of thing Eternals would get their kicks from, turning trees into some lackey to do your bidding." Anger tinged her voice. She stilled and crossed he arms ready to do battle.

"Aggressive and angry," he drawled with a quirk of his mouth. "I can work with that. It's nice to see you like this. All that fire and determination ready to rip apart the void and endanger all of creation just to find one sorry, lonely, old Time Lord. That's one of the qualities we like best about you, Wolf." He pushed off the tree and gestured around the jungle. "Of course, you've got it all wrong. These jungle creatures merely responded to their natural instincts." 

"Instincts? We didn't do anything to them and even if we did something unintentional that threatened them, why take only Perry and the Doctor?" she asked, glaring at him.

He smirked and walked up to her until he was only inches away. "Maybe this is a sign that it's time for you to toss aside the annoying, controlling Time Lord. Be your own person. Embrace the inner wolf. Come now Wolf, surely you remember what it was like." His voice lowered, silky with dark rumbling tones. "Running across the universe headfirst into trouble and mayhem, that was living. It made your blood sing with the glory of it. That's what really destroyed you inside when you became trapped here." He circled her like a predator. 

"You missed that freedom to go where you wanted, when you wanted, never stopping, always running. It was glorious and magnificent and you loved it. Just the two of you laughing your way across the universe, known through the galaxy as the stuff of legend. Now look at you. Confined, controlled and held back by what, a diminished Time Lord trying to regain his own power by taking yours and subduing you. That's what he's done Wolf, but you can change that. It's inside of you, all that power. You could change everything."

A heaviness sat over her shoulders. She did miss the things he mentioned but not for the reasons he thought. She wanted those things but with her Doctor by her side. "No, you're wrong."

"Am I? I don't think so. I think you dream about those days of running."

Manipulating bastard. Maybe it was time to show him she wasn't so shallow. "You know what? You're right. I do dream of running." Her tone hardened and she tipped her chin up in defiance.

"I dream of running with him by my side, but not on some power trip. I dream of running with My Doctor, this Doctor. I love him and all parts of him, even the part that left us here. I love him cause he sacrificed so much and continues to sacrifice not just for me, but for everyone, the entire universe. It sits on his shoulders and it's such a heavy burden. If the time comes that I see that him again, I'm gonna tell him. I'm gonna make sure he knows no matter what, he's loved and I'll always be with him. If anything I do or so say can give him the strength and love to do better, be better or happier than yeah, I'm gonna do it. So you, Mr. Eternal Havoc can just go jump in that river filled with all the creepy nasty things."

He shook his head and sighed. "You are such a child. Still now, after all you've been through." He stood taller and leaned toward her in a threatening manner. "Well, little girl, let's see how well you fare here and through what's to come. I was willing to give you a chance to change what will be. If you walk away with me now, maybe you can change the path of what is to come for those you love. Stay here and well, it's all on you what happens next."

Rose refused to flinch. Time to show them Rose Tyler courage. "Blimey, you evil gits like to talk. Why do we always get the chaotic ones. Why can't I get one of the orderly ones," she complained. "Seriously, you just like to hear yourself talk or what? All I asked is why they were taken and not me?"

Before he could answer, another voice called out to Rose. She turned around to see a dark haired woman standing behind her. The woman wore a sapphire blue suit and a crisp, white blouse beneath. Her black shiny hair fell about her shoulders in curly waves. She walked up to Rose so she was on the opposite side from Havoc. "Hello, Rose. I'm Serenity and I've heard so much about you."

"Right, um, hi," Rose responded, eyeing the woman with suspicion. "The Doctor and I don't hear from your side of things very often. Was beginning to wonder if the Eternals of Order just gave up."

Havoc snorted. "Like the little control freaks could walk away from this."

Serenity smiled. "Well my dear, just because you don't see us, doesn't mean we aren't there. I just thought it was time we were properly introduced and as you pointed out, Chaos does seem to make a bit more effort to physically appear before you. Grandiose gestures and boasting is in their nature. I'm merely here to keep the balance. Rose could hear Havoc grumbling and kicking things behind her.

"All right." She nodded at Serenity.

"Havoc suggests that you choose the easy path, abandoning your friends, seeking satisfaction through your own inner power," Serenity continued. "That this is the way to avoid unnecessary painful events to befall those you love. Do you believe that freeing your inner turmoil and venting on the world around you will be so much better?"

Rose sighed. "With him it's all let go and go wild and with you it's all riddles and introspection. I don't believe either of you."

"That's because she wants you to be controlled," Havoc growled walking around to Rose's side. "So that her kind can impose their rules on you. A boring, stagnant existence if you ask me," Havoc said, as he casually plucked leaves and flowers from a nearby bush before ripping it out of the ground and tossing it aside.

"I don't have time for this," Rose said with a groan. "The Doctor and Perry could be hurt or dying! Now, are you gonna tell me why the trees didn't take me?"

Serenity smiled and walked up to Rose and touched the flowers in her hair. "Blossoms of Life. They only grow near the river, but their pollen travels amongst these trees bestowing a gift."

Understanding lit Rose's eyes. "The flowers. Of course! Thank you."

"Like Havoc, I have done nothing," she said and smiled serenely.

"But, how does this pollen work?" Rose asked. Before she was able to get an answer out of the mysterious Eternal, she heard shouting. She turned to try and see where it came from and when she turned back, the Eternals were gone. "figures." She focused on the sound of voices and moved toward them. Along the way she heard whispering in the trees. "Eternals, garden, despair."

At first it was slow and difficult pushing her way through thick bushes and vines but oddly, the greener started to thin and eventually fall away before like as if the jungle opened a path in front of her. She looked back up at the trees and saw branches moving down toward her, almost as if they wanted to touch her but not aggressively. She paused, turned around and looked behind her only to see the way blocked.

"Okay, moving forward it is," she mumbled, and started walking ahead, periodically staring up into the canopy trying to see if Perry or the Doctor were nearby. After a while she heard louder voices and pushed forward faster. She followed the shouts until she reached an area that dropped off. She grabbed a vine as she nearly tumbled over the edge of land. Heart slamming in her chest and already tense with worry, she hung onto the vine as she shakily leaned away from teh edge. She looked down into a deep, green and yellow pit and her eyes widened. It looked to be lined with some kind of slimy membrane with vines moving around inside snake-like and pulling things in. Deep within the slimy abyss, something was pulsing and a putrid smelling steam was floating out of it. Rose wrinkled her noise at the stench.

"Roooose, stay back!" the Doctor shouted above her. She looked up and saw him clinging to a tree branch dangling him over the pit. Perry was clinging to a branch further away and seemed to be focused on the tree. Thank God they were alive. Although....yeah hanging over the pit creature below...not so good. 

"Doctor, I'm here! What can I do to help? What are these things?"

"Stay back from the edge! Whatever you do, don't fall into that thing. It's some type of macrorganism which has some sort of symbiotic relationship with the trees which are a tad bit sentient." he shouted down to her, as he hooked his legs and feet around the branch which was beginning to shake to try and dislodge him.

"There must be something I can do. I think it has something to do with the flowers. You sure I can't help?"

"I'm a bit busy trying not to be eaten. Can we talk about this later?" he said and yelped once when he lost his grip.

"I've got to do something," she said to herself, as she scanned the area. She ran up to the trunk of the tree that was trying to feed the doctor to whatever the pit monster was and pressed one of the flowers to the trunk. Suddenly, it stopped shaking the Doctor.

"Whatever you doing, keep doing it!" the Doctor shouted. She looked over her shoulder at him and pressed the flower against the tree.

Perry called out to her. She looked up and saw him standing on a branch hanging over her. "Rose, it's the pollen. It facilitates their communication. They collect in their leaves."

"How will that help the Doctor?"

"I believe that I can convey our willingness to provide them with pollen in exchange for the Doctor."

"Right, I'm ready when you are," she told him, and plucked the flowers from her hair. Soon, the Doctor was hanging upside down over her.

"Hello," he called out , grinning. "Long time no see. Have a nice stroll through the jungle?"

"Sort of. If you don't count the scary eternals along the way."

His smile faded and a dark look fell over him, as she held up the flowers over her head. Branches descended and gently brushed against the flowers. The rustling of the leaves and branches changed and the trees began to move in harmony with one of another almost creating a song from the creaking branches and soft rustling of leaves. The tree branch dipped lower so Rose intertwined the flowers among it's delicate branches and leaves. The branch rose into the air and the branch holding the Doctor abruptly dropped him so that he tumbled to the ground in a heap. Rose ran over to him

"Well, that was interesting. Not many people can say they were almost plant food" He winced and rubbed his forehead. "Well thrown into an Amazonian version of a giant venus flytrap pit which I suppose is at least more interesting than being fed to a dandelion."

Perry walked up to Rose and looked down at the babbling Doctor and glanced up at the sun. "It seems we are quickly losing daylight. Perhaps, we should continue our journey?" Rose reached down and pulled the Doctor up.

"Yes, well that's because we're so far south of the equator," the Doctor spouted. "The sun sets early here. Perry's right, let's try and make some progress before night fall. I'm not overly keen setting up camp around these trees," the Doctor said, looking accusingly at the trees.

"Me neither," Rose agreed glancing around nervous and not wanting to be there in the dark.

They quickly made their way toward where they believed the garden would be, moving as fast as they could. Soon they were in incredibly dense jungle foliage. The damp heat of the jungle pressed inward as insects swarmed around them and the sound of small rodents running in the underbrush unsettled them. Rose's nausea resurfaced as her limbs weighed down from the heat and stress of the day. The Doctor seemed to know and kept a hand ready to steady her. After the night they experienced on the boat and the unfortunate tree incident, all three remained alert and on the lookout for anything that might jump out at them. Suddenly, they fell out of the dense green of the rain forest into a small clearing before a worn rock face. All three paused breathing heavy before gazing upward along the craggy and moss strewn surface toward the plateau above them.

"Well, this was a bit unexpected," the Doctor commented, wiping sweat dampened hair from his forehead.

"Please don't tell me we have to climb that," Rose moaned thinking the jungle suddenly didn't look so bad. Her head thumped back on the Doctor's arm.

"Oh come on, it's not so bad!" Rose glared at the Doctor's enthusiastic tone. She was hot, sweaty, tired and had jungle grime in places she didn't want to think about. But then an animal howled from the jungle. It reminded her of their night on the boat. Her enthusiasm picked up as her skin prickled at the thought of learning what made that noise.

Rose looked at Perry, who studied the rocky climb ahead of them. "Perry, you all right?"

He looked back at her and smiled. "As the Doctor is so fond of saying 'Molto Bene.' I believe we can make it to the top before the sun sets. Shall we?" he asked. He stood up and pulled rope from his back pack. The Doctor grinned as he helped Rose up and retrieved metal spikes out of Rose's backpack.

"You two knew this would happen?" she asked, still unsure of the climb ahead.

"Oi, always prepared, me!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I studied the topography of this area before we set out. Perry's right, let's make it up there before it gets too dark."

"We don't know what's up there. Could be those things that attacked the boat last night." She shivered. That was a sobering thought. 

"Or, they could be down here which means camping up there for the night is safer," the Doctor assured, squeezing her arm. His voice softened. "It'll be all right." Rose nodded, but didn't believe it would be. She watched the Doctor quickly climb up the rock face and sonic a spike into place looping the climbing rope through it. After he made it a distance up he called down to them.

"Come on then, times a wasting! No time for lollying around while the things that go bump in the night are about to make an appearance!" Rose looked over at Perry who gestured for her to go next. She wasn't afraid of heights but her muscles already ached and her stomach was doing somersaults. Still, it wasn't like she had a choice. 

It was a tiring and nerve wracking journey for her as she tugged and pulled herself along. The Doctor and Perry seemed to enjoy the climb, calling out back and forth to each other while Rose remained silent and focused. When she reached the top, the Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her up. She rolled over the edge and collapsed on the ground. The Doctor tossed her the canteen. Rose closed her eyes and swallowed down the tepid water, grateful for every drop. The sun had set just as she made it over the edge. Her eyes fluttered shut, as she focused on breathing and enjoying the small breeze against her skin. When she opened her eyes, Perry and the Doctor were already making camp. She got up and wobbled a bit as she dropped her pack to the ground.

"Rose, why don't you rest. Perry and I have this," the Doctor assured, as he soniced a pile of tinder and wood to make a fire. "Come sit close the fire. It should scare off any of the local wildlife." 

She grimaced at the comment and peered around for any of said wildlife. In that moment, her faith wobbled. She missed the TCB, her bed and her glorious bath tub. God what she wouldn't give to be clean instead of coated with sweat and jungle muck. But this was her life and she and the Doctor had a job to do. She knelt by the fire where the Doctor laid out bedding and that's when the screaming and howling started. Her heart slammed in her chest and she gripped the bedding with claw like hands. She looked up at Perry and the Doctor who were still and slowly turned toward the edge of the cliff. Neither moved as they listened to the horrific sounds echoing from the jungle beneath them. 

Finally, the Doctor spoke. "Think I'll take first watch while you two get some rest." His voice was tight and eyes dark in the firelight. Rose nodded and began pulling out some provisions to make some dinner. Tinned beans and jerky never tasted so good to all of them. The only light moment was the Doctor's exclamation when Rose pulled marshmallows out of her very dimensionally transcendental backpack. Although Perry declined, the Doctor took great pleasure in lecturing them on the correct method to achieve the perfect toasted marshmallow which he ate with great relish. Despite the bone chilling noises from below, they tried to make the best of the camping experience amidst whatever lurked in the dark beneath them. 

Rose tried to listen to the screeching, shrieking and general gutteral grows emanating form the darkness. But it was hard when her imagination ran wild. "It's all right," the Doctor assured pulling her into his arms and nestling her head under his chin. "You need to rest."

"So do you," Rose reminded him.

"I will. Perry and I will take shifts." Perry nodded near them as he stretched out staring up at the stars. Rose released a pent up breath when she realized Perry didn't look worried. Eventually, exhaustion overwhelmed her. At first light, Rose awakened with the Doctor sleeping peacefully next to her. She looked up at Perry who was smiling at her from across the now smoldering fire. "Morning, Perry," she quietly greeted him.

"Good day to you Rose. I hope you are well rested."

"Yeah, thanks. You and the Doctor should have woke me up so I could take a shift. It's not right for you two to always be on guard duty."

Perry held up a cup filled with steaming tea. Rose slipped out of the Doctor's arms and went to sit by Perry. The Doctor quietly stirred and watched Rose and Perry have their morning tea. The prior night had not been so peaceful for him. Everything about this trip set his Time Lord senses on fire. He made great effort to make sure Rose had no inkling how concerned he was for her safety and the danger they had faced over the past few days. If Alejandro's attack hadn't been bad enough, the Encantado's attempt to take her from him almost drove him over the edge. The rage almost consumed him.

The thought of what he would have done if they'd taken her, frightened him. The Eternals visit with Rose drove home that he needed to keep her close to him and out of harms way, which given her jeopardy friendly nature, would be a challenge. The difficulties they would face in the garden were also forefront in his mind. He could feel a pressure in the air, in time, like a bubble about to pop. Some major event was about to unfold, but he couldn't discern what it was which terrified him a bit.

He rolled out of bed and the three of them ate breakfast and packed up to hopefully make it the rest of the way to the garden. As Perry pulled out the GPS, he turned toward the jungle near their campsite. He stared at a large tall tree with thick vines twisted around it.

"Perry?" the Doctor asked, alert and tense.

Perry turned and smiled. "This tree is not as it seems." The Doctor cautiously walked over to the tree and scanned it with his sonic. A familiar awe and excited pinged through him.

"Aren't you beautiful," he said softly, with wonder in his voice. "Now this is some gorgeous stealth technology. Supremely elegant design and just look at the details." He shook his head and walked around the tree as far as he could. "Can you believe it was right here all along? Oh, I am getting old."

"This is it? This is the entrance to the garden, through a tree?" Rose asked.

"It would appear so." Again, an unsettled tension settled over him. That niggling voice of doubt picked at the back of his mind. But it was too late to turn back. "Shall we?"

"Doctor, you sure about this?" Rose asked and he almost wavered at the slight crack in her voice. "After everything that's happened, shouldn't we, I dunno, test it to make sure it's not gonna eat us?" His mouth gaped at her intuition and she had a point.

He and Perry looked at each other in acknowledgment. "You have more of those flowers, right?" he asked.

"Yeah but..."

Before Rose could finish, the Doctor walked up to the tree and leaned into it. His arm and shoulder disappeared and he looked over his other shoulder at them. "Isn't this brilliant!" he exclaimed, before something yanked him through the portal.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, running up to the tree with Perry.

The Doctor landed on a soft patch of fine green grass. He blinked slowly and looked around. He was in a fragrant, manicured garden with purple, gold and green leafed plants. Several petite women dressed in various pastel shades of a sheer almost translucent material draped in an almost Grecian style surrounded him. There were four of them with black, brown, blonde and ginger hair with flowers woven in various intricate designs and all had lavender eyes.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor!" he greeted them, with a big smile hoping they were friendly. They smiled and giggled amongst themselves. The dark haired woman stepped forward.

"I'm Hesperia and these are my sisters Erytheia, Aigle and Arethousa. Do you know where you are?" Her voice was slightly stern but not threatening.

"Hello Hesperia. I hope I'm in the Garden of the Hesperides. Are you one of the caretakers of this place?"

"You are very pretty," Aigle, the brown haired nymph, told him and knelt by his side. The other three women also knelt beside him caressing his face and running their fingers through his hair. 

"Well, you certainly are a friendly lot aren't you," he commented not sensing a threat and quite frankly as curious about them as they were him. "You're far nicer than the carnivorous trees I passed through to get here." They paused and looked at each other before directing a more direct searching gaze at him.

"You journeyed through the Whispering Trees?" Aigle asked.

"Yep, guess I did. Course, I had some help." He wondered where his help was. He really didn't like Rose being separated from him.

"Such a treacherous journey. We must comfort you," the ginger haired Erytheia said while unbuttoning his shirt and caressing his chest.

"Well, I should really fetch my friends first," he said, nervous at how keen they were to touch him. He really hoped this wasn't another Eternal trick. They began massaging scented oil that materialized magically beside them onto his skin and through his hair. "Uh that's very kind of you and--" He paused as they scratched his head in a delightful way. That was a bit nice. So much better than eating or trying to kill him.   
But when he felt them tugging at his trousers, he realized how bad this might look to--"

"Oi! You nymphs! Hand's off the Time Lord," Rose shouted out, while walking over the prostrate partially undressed Doctor.

"Rose! You and Perry found your way here. These are the Nymphs," he said, grinning up at them and hoping beyond all hope Rose could see he was being diplomatic and not errr doing other things.

"Yeah, I got that. Interesting way of makin friends," she quipped. Oh he was in trouble. 

"We weren't going to keep him, just play with him for a bit," the blonde haired Arethousa whined, looking a bit petulant.

Rose stood by the Doctor, her arms crossed glaring at the Nymphs.

Perry, ever the diplomat, decided to intervene. "Greetings, we are pleased to make the acquaintance of the keepers of this most magnificent garden. We have traveled a great distance to wander amongst the unique and beautiful plants. There are many fantastic stories written about this place and the most auspicious Tree of Knowledge."

The Nymphs all sighed and looked from the Doctor to Perry to Rose. "Oh, is that why you're here." They turned and whispered to one another before turning back to Perry.

"Everyone seeks the Tree of Knowledge. It's a bit cliché and tiresome," Erytheia said in a bored, dry tone.

"Yes, well you see, we're on a bit of a quest," the Doctor said, standing up and straightening his clothing. "We'd be ever so grateful if you could point us in the direction of the Tree of Knowledge."

Arethousa sighed. "Such a pity. Why do all the pretty ones want to run head first to their doom." she shook her head. The Doctor arched a brow at this. He shouldn't be surprised he supposed. Wasn't doom always the way? Not that he felt doomed. And especially not with Rose there. Oh. He glanced at her frowning face. No. Doom was bad.

Hesperia stepped up and pointed to an area behind her. "Are you sure you have to leave already? We've not had visitors in so long."

"I'm sorry, but we are on a bit of a schedule. Eternals aren't known for their patience," Rose pointed out in a hard tone. The Nymphs stiffened and backed away a bit and looked at her.

"You are the wolf." They turned and looked at the Doctor. "And, you are the storm." They then turned to Perry and smiled. "You are known by many names. We welcome you to our home."

The Doctor sidled up to Rose and whispered in her ear. "I think I've been tossed aside for our gardener." Rose elbowed him and glared.

"Most kind and gracious of you, but I fear, the Doctor is most correct and our task must be completed in an expeditious manner," Perry acknowledged. "If it pleases you, we would be most honored for you to join us for our sojourn to the Great Tree," Perry said to them, with a bow. The Nymphs giggled and ran up to him taking his arms as they strolled toward the tree. The Doctor sniffed and straightened his tie. Not that he was upset. He had Rose after all. It's not like a Lord of Time would have his ego hurt at being tossed aside for the gardener.

"Oh, stop it," Rose chastised him, grabbing his hand and practically dragging him as they followed Perry and the Nymphs.

Under other circumstances, the Doctor and Rose may have enjoyed the stroll as the garden was truly lovely filled with a variety of unique plants not found anywhere else on Earth. They could hear Perry complimenting the Nymphs and speaking in quiet excited tones when they passed something that caught his eye. Soon, they were walking up a hill toward a massive tree with golden fruit that were shaped like pears hanging off the branches shining in the sun. When they were a few meters from the tree, the Nymphs stopped.

"We will leave you here. The Guardian of the tree is a bit grumpy and disagreeable," said Hesperia, eyeing the tree with a frown.

"Disagreeable, my cute little Nymph arse, he ate our sister!" Arethousa said. She turned to the Doctor and Rose. "He accused her of trying to steal some the fruit. As if any of us want any of those nasty tasting things."

"They look like pears," the Doctor said, practically choking on the word "pear."

Arethousa nodded her head. "As I said, disgusting."

The Doctor turned a bit smugly toward Rose. "See, told you pears were revolting and most of the civilized universe accepts this as fact." Rose rolled her eyes and turned to Hesperia.

"This guardian, he protects the tree?"

"Oh yes, that's his calling. He won't allow you to pick the fruit unless you pass his test."

"Test? What sort of test?" the Doctor asked knowing there would be a catch. There was always a catch.

"He's a bit obsessed with puzzles. He will ask you to answer his riddles, but be warned. If your answer is incorrect, you will find yourself his next meal and he is quite hungry. He hasn't eaten a traveler in over one of your centuries." Hesperia advised.

"Well, that's just fantastic," Rose muttered sarcastically, while the Doctor bounced on the balls of is feet. He loved a good riddle and it had been ages since he'd flexed his mind in a battle of rhyme, riddle or the art of brain twisting puzzles. 

They approached the tree and the trunk moved. Soon they realized a multi-headed dragon with the most beautiful green iridescent scales was wrapped around the trunk. He slithered around the trunk until his multiple heads were facing them. Each of his heads was covered with the blue-green scales, two emerald green eyes, a pointed snout and mouth filled with sharp teeth as well as a forked pink tongue that slithered out.

The Dragon laughed as they approached. "I am Ladon Guardian of the Tree of Knowledge and who might you be?"

"Us, oh we're just travelers come to seek the fruit of the Great Tree here. We kindly ask your permission to pick some of the fruit," the Doctor asked with a positive and charming attitude.

"Those who seek the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge must answer me these questions three. Be warned, the fruit of this Tree may not be all you believe it to be. So peasants, are you prepared to pay the price for your idiocy and risk your lives for a taste of perspicacity?"

"Oi! We're not idiots!" the Doctor exclaimed, ego and confidence piqued. "Go on, Ladon, let's have it," the Doctor demanded, arrogantly.

"Very well, foul and foolish mortals. I have seas with no water, coasts with no sand, towns without people, mountains without land. What am I?"

"I love riddles! Now then, let's see.." the Doctor said, and began pacing and muttering to himself. Rose looked at Perry.

"Our lives depend on answering some cranky dragon's nonsensical question. This is bad. I think I'd rather face the piranha." Perry smiled and patted her on the shoulder. The Doctor continued pacing, muttering and yanking at his hair ignoring them, his mind whirling with ideas.

"Annoying peasant, answer me or I shall take a nibble without a quibble."

"Oi! I'm getting to it," the Doctor retorted, annoyed at being pushed. He could do this and would solve it but not with some snarky dragon pestering him. "You didn't say anything about a time limit. Anyway, I have your answer. You're a map!"

Ladon growled and squinted all his eyes at the Doctor. "Correct."

"Very good little man and now for the tasty lady. This thing all things devours; Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays kings, ruins towns, And beats high mountains down."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You didn't say anything about one riddle a person!" the Doctor complained, his heart beating double time. Cold fear unfurled in him as he saw Rose's uncertaintity. He loved her. She was brilliant. But she wasn't a mistress of riddles by any stretch of time and space.

Ladon chuckled. "Whining and whinging will get you a singeing." Ladon spit a fire ball at the Doctor who ducked just in time turning around to stamp out the fire and glare at the cheeky dragon.

Rose bit her lip and fidgeted while she considered the rhyme. The Doctor couldn't stand by and do nothing. He had to help. As he approached Rose, he was stopped by one of the dragon's heads.

"Cheating is punishable by eating."

Rose's eyes suddenly lit up. "I got it! All right, Ladon, here's your answer." Before the Doctor could shout at her to stop. Rose said, "It's time."

The Dragon growled and huffed. "Correct."

The Doctor raced over to Rose, a look of awe in his eyes. "How'd you get that and so quick?"

She grinned a huge Tyler grin at him. "It's from The Hobbit. It's one of Gollum's riddles to Bilbo. "I was reading Tony the Hobbit right before the stars went out. I kind of liked that one. Kind of understood it. Reminded me of you."

"Brilliant," the Doctor said and pulled her into his arms relieved and so very proud. He never should have doubted her. They then turned to Perry, waiting on what Ladon had in mind for his riddle.

Ladon's heads turned to face Perry. "What lives in winter, dies in summer and grows with its root upward?"

Perry smiled and looked at the dragon "There are very few things that grow in winter and only one disappears as the summer sun awakens up the hibernating plants yet, also destroys one of natures masterpieces. The answer you seek is an icicle."

Ladon grunted. "Very well, harvest your fruit and enjoy this small victory for it will bring nothing but misery."

"Well done, Perry!" the Doctor congratulated him before turning to the dragon. "Thank you, Ladon, you are a worthy guardian of such a precious tree."

"Take your fruit and be gone peasant."

Rose, the Doctor and Perry went to the tree and each picked three pieces of fruit. Although they still had to traverse the dangerous jungle back to the boat, they were giddy with success in the garden. As they wandered back to where they arrived, they noticed the landscape appeared to be changing around them.

"Doctor, you notice something different here," Rose asked.

"Yes, the garden is changing." His time sense twisted and turned throbbing in his temples as disorientation and a hard cold knot formed in his stomach.

They stumbled upon the Nymph, Hesperia. "Excuse me Hesperia is it? I was wondering if perhaps you could direct us to the portal where we entered the garden. We appear to be a bit turned around," he asked with a slightly diminished smile.

Hesperia looked at them and cocked her head. "You don't know. The way in is not the way out. There is only one way to leave the garden and it is impossible. Do you really think it would be so simple to retrieve the fruit of the Great Tree?"

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked. Cold stretched through is body as he thought about the dragon's riddles and comments. This whole place was about twists and turns of phrases. Nothing was as it seemed. 

"Knowledge of all things is powerful. You think it should be easy to obtain, much less, used for ill purposes in the mortal world?"

"No, of course not and that's not our purpose," he answered slowly. "We don't want to eat it ,much less, bear that kind of responsibility and trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

"Perhaps, but it changes nothing. The real safeguard of this garden is you cannot leave. The only way to find an exit would be to eat the fruit and if you eat the fruit and leave, you will die. This is for the protection of all living things in the mortal world."

"That's rubbish!" the Doctor complained as the full impact cut through him. Safe guards. Of course there would have to be. His people often devised them. He should have known. A ringing began in his ears as the full weight of this task sat in his coat pocket. The fruit of knowledge. One of the most dangerous things on Earth -- so innocuous and simple. But they were right. And he walked straight into the Eternal's trap...with Rose.

"So, you're telling us if we eat the fruit we can't leave, but we need to eat the fruit to find the way out," Rose murmured, her face paling.

The Doctor reached into his pocket and looked down at the fruit in his hand. "Only one of us needs to eat the fruit and he can guide the others out of the garden," he murmured and swallowed hard. The weight of multi verse pressed down around him, crushing his one singular heart as he knew what he must do. Loss and pain stabbed at his mind and body at the thought of losing the one person he would gladly sacrifice himself for. Rose wouldn't agree. But there was no arguing this. He could bear anything if it meant giving her a chance at the fantastic life he wanted for her even if he couldn't be in it. 

"No, then that person can't leave and is stuck here forever," Rose said, as realization set in. "If you eat the fruit, so do I. I'm not leaving you."

"No," his voice growled as passion burned in him for her. "It has to be me." His quiet words were firm. He felt her anger and fear through their bond. It singed him from the inside out as she raged at him telepathically. He blocked her, built a wall but not for him. For her, so she wouldn't know the panic and fear tearing and clawing at him as he prepared to let her go. This was how other him felt, the him on the beach that walked away from the woman he loved. He was sure of it. 

"Doctor!" the break in her voice tore through him. He tried to lighten the mood. "Even if it does taste like a disgusting pear." He stared at the fruit with distaste and then looked back at Rose and Perry. "I won't ask this of Perry and I'm certainly not allowing you to do it."

"What do you mean, allowing me! It's my choice, Doctor!" Rose shouted, her eyes flashing with fury he could still feel against his skin despite his efforts to block their connection. "You're not eating it without me!" Rose stubbornly proclaimed.

As they argued, the Doctor felt a slight feather light ping in his mind. He brushed it aside. But while Rose gripped his lapels shaking him, he glanced at the serene expression on Perry's face. While the two of them argued, Perry quietly reached into his bag and pulled out the golden fruit and before either of them could stop him, he bit into it. 

"Perry. No!" It was too late. The ground fell out beneath him and it was all he could do to stay standing. Horror and despair howled inside of him. It was his fault.

Perry's eyes were closed as he swallowed the fruit. When he opened his eyes, they were filled with a sense of wonder. He looked at them and smiled. "I will show you the way."

Rose stilled, white and trembling and covered her mouth. Tears ran down her face. "Perry," she gasped. "Why? Why would you do this? You'll be stuck her alone forever."

Perry looked at Rose and gently grasped her hand. "Rose, my dear Rose. You have no idea what you and the Doctor have done for me, how you helped me grow and become more." He paused and looked over at the Doctor, meeting the pain in the Doctor's eyes with nothing but contentment.

"It is the greatest honor for me to assist you in this quest. This was always meant to be and I will never be completely alone. I will always have a piece of you, both of you in my heart for you have surely planted the seeds of true friendship and love within me. You accepted me into your home, your heart and your family enveloping me in something I could never have hoped to have or find. As you are with me, I will always be with you."

He placed Rose's hand over his heart as she crumpled inward in visceral pain, great gulping sobs wracking her body. Perry gently turned her toward the Doctor. "The lovely TCB and I often communed about what could be and what must be. This must be. You must go and complete the tasks you have been assigned. Return to the TCB and fulfill your promise to her. There must be creatures of time. You are the fertile soil of the garden and from you will grow a brilliance the multiverse has not yet known. I see it now, quite clearly. Do not mourn my fate for all may not be as it seems here. The universe is a miraculous place. Now go. You must go now."

"Perry, I…" For the first time in the Doctor's long life, the words choked in his throat. How could he leave his friend? How could he allow this to happen -- to sacrifice a good life, a noble man for one such as him. He didn't deserve it and never would. Rose curled into his chest and he wrapped an arm around her as Perry guided them a few steps back. "Please," he begged Perry, tears blurring his vision as the truth of what happened overwhelmed all his senses. Perry, embraced both of them. The Doctor's discipline cracked, the ancient Time Lord who faced daleks and his own mad people burned with grief washing over him in waves as his hand grasped Perry's shoulder. The time lines snapped away between him and his gardener, his confident, his beloved friend. Perry held them tightly in his arms.

He released them and cupped Rose's face. "When the time comes, don't be afraid. Do what must be done. You'll know the right choice. Remember, the best things in life are the unexpected gifts we receive. Life finds a way to surprise us in glorious ways and you, Rose, are filled with an abundance of life, embrace it."

They were soon joined by the Nymphs who stood around Perry smiling at him. Hesperia stepped forward and looked at Rose. "He won't be alone. We will watch over him until… Well, until he is needed elsewhere."

"Perry…" Rose whispered as the Doctor wrapped his arms around her. He looked up at Perry, shaking and with a tear streaked face. "Goodbye, my friend. If the universe is kind, may we meet again one day," he said, his voice cracking from emotion. A bright light flashed around them, enveloping them in a searing heat. The Doctor stepped back into the portal as Rose wept and cried out watching Perry until the last moment when the portal closed behind them.


	51. What Lays Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We left off with the Doctor and Rose leaving Perry in the Garden. This chapter will pick up with Rose and the Doctor dealing with the repercussions of losing Perry as well as them finding out what’s been happening back in London while they were gone

The Doctor and Rose emerged from the garden into a dark, still jungle. The only noise was the pounding rain drenching everything around them. They were quickly soaked and dripping. Rose turned and stared at the green thicket representing the exit portal. The Doctor pulled Rose into his arms. She remained stiff barely blinking.

"Rose, it's going to be all right. Perry..." He paused, trying to tamp down his own emotions. "Perry won't be alone and he made his choice."

She squirmed from his grip and shoved him away. Her eyes filled with tears as the rain fell in heavy drops bouncing off the leaves and turning the ground into a heavy sludge of leaves and mud. 

"No, it's my fault. It's all my fault. Everything, all of this!" she cried out and covered her face with her hands. "I did this! I was the one that tackled the Eternal, that got sucked into their world and played their bloody game! I had those nightmares telling me something awful was coming." She dropped her arms to her sides, eyes wide with anguish. "I was the one who could have done something. Even yesterday, days ago, I could have done something. They told me when you and Perry were gone. Havoc told me if I went with him, I could change things and I didn't and now Perry....." She couldn't finish and dropped to her knees, mud and damp seeping through her light cotton slacks.

The Doctor dropped down in front of her and pulled her face up. "Rose Tyler, don't you dare listen to them! None of this is your fault. Look at me!" He gripped her face and looked into her pain filled eyes. "These Eternals want to tear us apart, to fill you with doubt, guilt and distress. You didn’t cause this."

"But..." she started.

He wouldn't let her finish. "No," he said softly, and pressed his forehead to hers. "I may not see timelines as I once did, but every instinct I have says our meeting in that fountain was fixed. Much of what has happened to us was always going to happen, even meeting Perry." He pulled back and gazed into her eyes, trying to transmit his comfort, love and emotion to her. 

"We are nothing more than a diversion for the Eternals, pawns in some cosmic game they are playing amongst themselves. They are the great manipulators. We have to acknowledge that, but we can still make our own decisions." He tenderly brushed a few damp tendrils of hair off her forehead.

"If you had listened to Havoc and gone with him out of some belief you were changing things for the better, it still could have been much worse. Perry and I could have died in those trees or trying to find you and you would be at the mercy of the Eternals, alone. No, Rose. You made the right choice. If I had survived to find you gone..." His eyes darkened as he looked at her. "Nothing would stop me until I found you. Nothing," He told her with a dark growl to his voice.

"Doctor, I.." He put his finger to her lips. "No more self recriminations over this. Perry is alive and well and not alone. He's living in the most magnificent garden in the multiverse surrounding by amazing things and well, some rather cheeky Nymphs. He was at peace when we left. Can we really ask anything more for such a dear friend?”

Rose shook her head and looked down at the ground before looking back up at him.

“It’s just.. Doctor, he’s so special and I…” she couldn’t finish she was so overcome with emotion.

“Rose, no one knows better than me how hard it is to let go of a friend. Perry is brilliant and clever and I believe in him,” he told her, his thumb brushing her cheekbone. "We have to respect his decision, let him go. If he can see us now, let him see our faith in him and finish this Eternal rubbish in his honor."

Rose mutely nodded her head, still not at peace with what had happened but acknowledging the Doctor's point. "Now then, we need to find some shelter and try and dry off. I feel a bit like a water logged furfandal and you look, well, like a drowned moakian lake rat, although a cute one,” he teased her. “We're going to have a difficult day tomorrow. We have to make it through the jungle and to the boat by nightfall. I'm not spending another night in this sodding place," he said, with conviction. Eventually, they found an area under some trees that had grown tightly together and created a shelter. The Doctor soniced some rocks to create a source of heat. Rose pulled a blanket out of her backpack and they wrapped themselves in it and cuddled up together. Neither of them slept much.

The next morning, the sun peeked through the rain clouds casting rays of light through the mist giving the jungle a mystical quality. They stiffly crawled out of their shelter and stretched as they stood up. They both looked worn, tired and grungy. The Doctor pulled out the GPS and the sonic and stared at it in concentration.

“Doctor?” Rose asked, worried at his expression.

“We came out of the Garden in a different location than we entered it. We’re not on the plateau. As a matter of fact, we’re further down the tributary from the boat,” he said, as he walked around getting his bearings.

Rose groaned and then smiled a bit. “Well, at least we don’t have to walk through those cranky trees and the jungle with those scary things that tore up the boat.”

He turned to her with a grin. “That’s the spirit! I think we’re not far from the water. We can build a raft and go back upstream to the boat. Much easier than hiking through this jungle.”

“I’m all for that,” Rose agreed, still shivering a bit at the thought of going anywhere near the jungle with the violent and howling creatures.

Without Perry, they had to machete their way through the jungle. Again, it was slow going and humid, hot work. By mid day, they made it to the water. They worked together and had the raft completed and were on their way up river by mid afternoon. When they reached the boat, both of them were tense and watchful of the jungle.

The Doctor carefully climbed onto the boat with the machete nearby. Once he checked out the deck he helped pull Rose aboard. There was definite evidence that something had boarded the boat while they were gone. The cabin was smashed and the interior destroyed and wet.

“Doctor, let’s just leave. Please,” Rose asked, overcome with a niggling fear urging her to run and especially as the sun sank further toward the horizon.

“Yeah,” the Doctor said, feeling the same stress and urges to leave quickly. Rose sat with him while he worked to clear the deck and fix the damaged motor. But she never watched his progress. She was too busy keeping watch on the jungle. As the Doctor cursed, threw parts around and soniced the engine, the sun sank further in the sky and the noises in the jungle grew more guttural, changing into growling and terrifying screams. Rose lit an oil lantern to light the engine for the Doctor. Eventually, he sat up and picked up a torch. Rose grabbed his hand as he was bout to shine it into the jungle.

"No! Please, I don't want to see them." She grabbed his arm in emphasis.

"Rose, it's getting dark. We have to be prepared."

"I know, but isn’t the engine fixed enough so that we can just get away from here?”

He nodded. “I’m almost finished, but we can't navigate the rapids in the dark."

"I don’t care where, but let's just go." She tightened her grip on his arm darting glances into the darkened and rustling jungle.

He looked one more time at the jungle, nodded his head and then went back to work. It was almost completely pitch black out by the time he finished and there was little moonlight due to the cloudy sky. Just as he was able to start the motor, they heard a splash come from near the jungle.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted as she watched a large, dark form moving in the water toward them.

The Doctor throttled the boat forward away from whatever violent creatures lurked in the dark abyss of that place. The screaming and growling grew to a new pitch as they slowly chugged away. They heard breaking branches and more splashing. Rose clung to the Doctor and stared back at the dark water and eerie jungle. He put his arm around her and promised her it would be all right. She looked up at him just as the moon peeked out through the cloudy night sky.

"I'm sorry I panicked back there. I just had a bad feeling and needed to get away." Her fingers still clawed into his back.

"Shhh don't apologize," he whispered to her, squeezing her to him as he navigated the river. "It wasn't just you, I felt it too. I don't know what's in that jungle, but it's emitting something that effects us, causes some kind of instinctual fight or flight reaction. We'll be all right once we're away."

"Definitely, putting that on Torchwood's watch list." Rose's voice shook as they chugged further away. When they reached the spot where the tributary merged back into the main River, they anchored for the night. The jungle in this area appeared to be calm with only typical nocturnal sounds. They set up blankets and curled up together under the stars. Rose sighed and stared at the night sky as the boat gently bobbed in the water.

"Doctor, do you think Perry sees the same stars as us?"

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "Yep. The Garden doesn't really exist in quite the same plane of existence as this world but it‘s still in this Universe. You know, if the legend is true, when he bit into the fruit, it changed him. He gained a bit more insight and understanding. I could see something in his eyes before we left. I think that he was at peace with his decision. Maybe, he even knows something we don't."

Rose looked up at him. "So, you really think he’s all right?"

"I have no doubt that Perry, the gardener, could be anything but happy in the most magnificent garden in this universe. Besides, he's got the lovely Nymphs you know,” he reminded her, with a cheeky grin. She slapped him on the arm but smiled and laid her head down on his chest.

"Doctor, are we safe here?" Her voice softened and her muscles tensed against him.

"Oh yes! No worries," he reassured her. "Now get some rest." She fell asleep while the Doctor stayed awake watching the stars and flicking his sonic on and off until dawn, not convinced they would be safe until they finished the Eternals’ tasks. The next day they navigated through the rapids and made progress back toward Enmaleado. Unfortunately, they ran out of fuel a mile from town and had to take the raft the rest of the way. By the time they reached the TARDIS, it was nightfall.

"Want to get a spot of rest before we head out?" he asked, as he began to set coordinates.

"Let's just get home. I'd kill for a proper shower and loo."

"Home it is!"

When the TARDIS materialized in the garden of the Manor and they walked out, it was daylight and they were met by Jack, Pete and Jake all looking concerned.

“Doctor, Rose, thank God you’re all right!” Jake called out.

“You had us worried,” Jack said as he walked up and hugged Rose. He stepped back and looked at her. “Honey, no offence but what have you been doing?” He took a few steps away and looked at her muddy, stained clothing and the Doctor’s scruffy hair and unshaven face.

“We may have had a few problems along the way,” the Doctor answered and scratched his head. pulling his hand back in front of his face as he examined some small piece of the jungle he had unwittingly carried home with him.

“You don’t say. Hey, Perry….” Before Jack could finish the Doctor grabbed his arm and shook his head. Rose teared up and looked down at the ground.

Jack looked at the Doctor and shook his head. “No.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. Perry, he’s…”

Jack walked over to the Doctor and embraced him and Pete walked up to Rose and hugged her. Rose looked up at Pete. “Dad, Perry’s not coming home,” she choked out as more tears cascaded down her face.

“Come on, let’s get you two inside. You look beat.” Pete and Jack led them inside where they found Malcolm, Mandy and two other Torchwood agents in some sort of staging area. Equipment filled the solarium.

Mandy walked up to Rose, looking concerned. “Rose, can I get you anything?”

“No, thanks, Mandy, I’m fine. What’s going on here?”

“Rose, let’s go upstairs and get cleaned up,” The Doctor said, taking her hand and pulling her out of the room before Mandy could answer. She looked at him inquisitively as he didn’t seem at all surprised to see their house filled with a Torchwood crew.

“Doctor, Rose, before you go upstairs, there’s something you should know,” Pete said to them.

“Do you know how long you’ve been gone?”

The Doctor stared at Pete before tentatively answering. “A week.”

“I’m afraid it’s been more than a week,” Pete answered. “Rose, have you checked your mobile lately?”

“No, we’ve been a bit busy.” She started shrugging off her backpack but Pete stopped her.

“You’ve been missing a month.”

“That’s impossible!” the Doctor shouted, and whipped out his sonic. His face suddenly contorted in confusion. “No, no, no!” he shouted and banged the sonic against his palm. He looked up at Pete, his eyes widening in realization. “The Garden. It was the Garden. I know I set the TARDIS to travel in space not time. Oh, I am so thick!” he told them, and smacked his palm on his head. “I knew something was off but I thought it was just that blasted jungle and after losing…Well, oh I’m so stupid.”

Rose looked horrified. “Mum,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about your Mum, I’ve got her sorted. There is something else that we need to talk about. While you were gone, something happened. Torchwood was breached. The thieves materialized in the artifact vault and stole several items. According to Jack, they used something called a vortex manipulator and then they came here.”

Jack stepped forward. “Pete called me when Torchwood was hit. Just as I was about the leave, the security system here went nuts. I asked Pete to get over with Jake. It was the same group that broke into Torchwood. They were using a Duo-modulating Proton Grenade to try and break into the house.”

“No,” the Doctor said. “That kind of weapon near a rift would cause a massive dimensional and temporal feedback. It could cause a tear in reality.” He looked up at Jack with fear in his eyes. “How bad is it? Did anything come through?” Jack shook his head no.

“The sky turned black and red, and there was a lot of electrical discharge. It caused severe lightning from here to London that caused substantial damage to the electrical grid. Several people were electrocuted, burned and worse. Jack stopped them and found a way to reverse it,” Pete said, looking at Jack with respect.

“I knew one of them, Doc. He was a former agent of a certain law enforcement agency. Now he’s gone rogue. He and his partners came here to score some technology for a quick profit. They detected the power coming form the rift and tried to break in thinking it was some kind of power source,” Jack told the Doctor, emphasizing power source to get his point across. The Doctor subtly nodded his head.

“And these thieves, where are they now?” the Doctor asked, anger in his voice.

“We’ve locked them up at Torchwood until I can figure out what to do with them,” Pete told him.

“Good.” The Doctor turned to Jack. “Thank you. Rose and I knew we could count on you to handle anything while we were gone,” the Doctor said, smiling a bit.

Jack nodded. “Look, why don’t you two go upstairs and get settled and we’ll whip up something to eat. Take you’re time. You look done for.”

Rose looked at Pete. “How’s Mum?”

“Oh, you know your mum. She blames the Doctor and will insist you two check in weekly from now until the wedding. Oh, and I would plan on spending Christmas week with us if I were you.”

“It’s Christmas?” the Doctor asked, scratching his head and wrinkling his nose.

“In a couple of weeks, yeah.”

“What about the next task?” she asked the Doctor.

He sighed and looked at her. “Let’s talk about it after we get cleaned up and get some rest.”

“Sounds like a good plan. I’ll let Jackie know you’re back but she’s going to want to speak to you, Rose.”

“Not until after Rose has eaten and rested. Just tell her we were out of touch in the rainforest and had some complications, will you, Pete?”

“All right. I’ll see what I can do, but she’s going to want to talk to Rose as soon as possible.”

Rose nodded, and she and the Doctor went upstairs. They practically had to peel their clothing off and immediately binned them. They took a shower together and by the time they were done, Rose was falling asleep. The Doctor wrapped her up in a big fluffy towel and carried her to bed where they both moaned with delight at the fluffy, soft blankets. They curled up and immediately feel asleep in each others arms. When Rose awakened later, she was alone and there was a plate of sandwiches and tea by the bed. She was surprised at how ravenous she was and dug in relishing each bite. Eventually the Doctor, all ready dressed, bounced in and sat next to her.

“Good morning, or I should say evening really!” He leaned over and kissed her. Rose looked over to the window and noticed the sun was setting. She took a sip of tea and turned to him.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Oh, about eight hours. You were exhausted,” he told her as he bounced up over to the wall with the last parchment on it.

“Did you get some rest?”

“Me? Oh, yes, I’m fine and dandy,” he told her, rocking back on his heels hands in his pockets.

“You sure?” she asked, suspicious he wasn’t telling her the truth.

“Rose, I’m fine. It’s you I’m more worried about. You’ve been through a lot even before we left for the Amazon. You didn’t have any nightmares last night, did you?” he asked.

“No, I didn’t. Is that because of the last task?”

“Maybe. But we should really discuss the final task.” Rose swallowed a bite of sandwich and curled up on the bed, looking at him. He’d never come out and volunteered to talk about one of their tasks before.

“This got something to do with why Torchwood is downstairs, or is that all about the thieves.”

“I asked Jack to pull together a team for us.”

“Why didn’t you talk to me about it?” she asked, slightly annoyed.

“You had enough on your shoulders with the nightmares and I didn’t want you worried while we were in the Amazon.”

She sighed. “Right. We’re gonna talk about you keeping things from me after we’re done with this Eternal stuff." He looked away and Rose sighed. "Just tell me what’s got you so worried you brought in Torchwood.”

He stood up, put on his glasses and began pacing in front of the bed. “The final task is based on Hercules’ final labor involving Cerberus and the Underworld. Herc was tasked with retrieving Ceberus, basically a four headed dog with a bit of an attitude, alive, without using weapons and deliver him to good old King Eurystheus. Now, this was no easy task. 

"First thing Herc had to do was take a few lessons on the Elusinian Mysteries which were this super secret religious rights to prepare the body, mind and spirit for entry into the Underworld. Herc studied with this order so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive, and in passing, absolve himself for killing the centaurs during his fourth labor. He found the entrance to the underworld at Tanaerum, and the Gods Athena and Hermes sort of gave him a bit of help to get in and out of the Underworld. Now, the Greeks believed when someone died, they had to seek passage to the Underworld via the ferryman, Charon. Charon wouldn‘t just let anyone in and they had to pay him. Luckily, Herc had help. Hestia who was the goddess of hearth and family helped charm good old Charon into letting Herc pass."

Rose wrapped her arms around herself already disliking this labor but remained quiet while the Doctor continued.

"The Underworld could be a bit of a nasty place. Not all of it was the pleasant Elysian Fields. Parts were filled with people being punished. Herc met two blokes, Tehseus and Pirithous who were being punished by Hades for trying to kidnap Persephone, his wife. He sat them down in chairs of forgetfulness and were permanently ensnared in his devious little trap."

“That’s horrible!” Rose exclaimed.

Yes, well Herc thought so too and pulled Theseus first from his chair but he‘d been there so long, he was stuck to it so you might say he left a bit of himself behind."

Rose made a face. “Eww. That’s a bit awful.”

“Well, it’s better than an eternity in the chair of forgetfulness. Anyway, things didn’t go so well for Pirithous. See, he wanted Persephone for himself so he was doomed to stay behind.

Eventually, Hercules found and met up with Hades and asked permission to take Cerberus to the King. Hades agreed if Herc could overpower the beast without using weapons. Of course, Herc being a bit of a brute was able to overpower Cerberus, hoisted him on his back and legged it out of the underworld through a cavern entrance in the Peloponnese and brought the nasty doggy back to Eurystheus who was so scared, he jumped into a pithos and begged Herc to take the horrific dog back to the underworld and in return released him from his labors.”

“So what does this mean for us?”

“It means we have to go to the Netherworld and free someone who is trapped there.”

Rose paled and grabbed her tea for a calming sip. She put the cup down and looked at him. “We as in you and I need to go?”

“We as in you, Jack and I.”

“Do we want to drag Jack into this,” Rose asked, concerned at risking another of their friends.

“We need Jack’s help. One does not just mosie into the Netherworld. The last time you were there, it’s because they pulled you over, sort of like an invitation. We’re more like party crashers. You know that the Netherworld is place where anything can happen We need Jack with us as much as we need Malcolm, Pete, Jake and Mandy here.”

Rose nodded. “So who are we rescuing?”

“I don’t know. The scroll was a bit vague in that regard. I know that it won’t be easy and the Eternals will do everything they can to stop us.” The Doctor sat beside her and grasped her hand. “We have to do this. If there were any other way, I wouldn’t ask you.”

“You think I would just sit her and let you and Jack do it without me? Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. It’s not like I haven’t been there before.”

He leaned over and kissed her deeply. He pulled back and caressed her face. “We’ll get started in the morning,” he said to her softly. He the pressed her mobile into her hand.

“What’s this for?” she asked.

He looked a little worried and tugged at his ear before he rushed out, “If you don’t call Jackie, she’s gonna come over here and she might be in a slapping mood,” he whined a bit.

Rose shook her head and hit speed dial.


	52. The Journey to the Netherworld

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picks up back at the manor with Rose and the Doctor preparing for their final task. A small Torchwood team has been assembled to assist Rose, The Doctor and Jack on their journey to the Netherworld.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, the song Bad Wolf Rising or anything to do with Jean Simmons or the rock band Kiss. No references in this fic to a real person is intended to defame and I do not profit from same. Please do not sue me.

The Doctor and Rose spent a day with Pete, Jack, Jake, Malcolm and Mandy to work out the logistics of their entry and exit into the Netherworld, as well as discuss the attack on the manor. The Doctor was relieved that Jack had been there to handle the intruders as well as run interference with Torchwood. This was one of the few times the Doctor appreciated Jack's talent at conning and flirting his way through a situation. Jack had recognized the leader of the thieves, a man by the name of John Hart, and was able to convince him that his group had just picked up rift energy resonating off Jack's overloading vortex manipulator. This was a brilliant ruse on Jack's part in order keep the TCB secret. The Doctor worried that it was a bit too coincidental that Jack was acquainted with the ring leader of the thieves and knew he would need to deal with them after the final task was completed.

The morning they would leave for the Netherworld, Rose walked up to the Doctor dressed in jeans, trainers, blue jumper and a black leather jacket, her hair loose around her face. He wore his standard chocolate brown suit with blue pinstripes and grasped her hands. They stood in the golden light of their bedroom staring into each others eyes. He smiled and pulled her into his arms.

"I have something for you," he whispered into her ear. She pulled back smiling.

"We have time for that?"

He smiled brighter. "No not that! Although, a good luck shag is tempting," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "But, I had something else in mind for now." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rectangular box wrapped in Tardis blue foil with a silver ribbon around it and handed it to her.

"What's this then?" she asked, gently holding the package.

"A present," he answered, nonchalantly.

"Okay, um it's not my birthday and it's a bit early for Christmas..."

"I can't give you a present just because I want to, or you know.." He looked away.

"Just because we're us," she teased.

"Will you just open it," he whined, fidgeting. She carefully removed the silver ribbon to his eye rolling and sighs. 

"Oh stop it! It's not every day I get something gift wrapped from you. I wanna remember it." She ripped the rest of the paper off, opened the box and gasped.

Inside, sitting on a bed of delicate white tissue, was a silver sonic screwdriver. She picked it up and looked at him, at first with question and then with emotion. "You, you made this for me?"

"Yes. Now, it doesn't have all the settings mine does, but it has the basics. You know, unlocking doors, mending wounds, playing the Macarena. You know, the important stuff."

Tears came to her eyes and she threw herself at him snogging him silly. "Thank you! it's beautiful!"

"Go on. Try it out," he encouraged her, and pleased at her response.

She flipped it on and it glowed purple on the end. She looked at him and giggled jumping up and down a bit. She soniced a glass on the bedside table and it exploded. She jumped and turned it off and looked at him. He winced and ran his fingers through his hair. "Might need a bit of an adjustment, but it will do for this trip."

Rose tucked it into her pocket and hugged him again. When she pulled back. He looked at her and caressed her face. "Ready, Lewis?"

"Always, Sarge," she responded. They turned and gazed at the amber stained glass window with the sun shining through it lighting the room with a golden glow. They squeezed hands and left

When Rose and the Doctor arrived in the game room, everyone was sitting or standing around an area that had been cleared around a an old book lying on the floor. Malcolm had monitors and sensors up everywhere and was wearing some goggles and headgear with a flashing yellow light on it. Rose tried to stifle a giggle when she looked at him as the mood in the room was quite tense. Jack was standing next to Pete and Jake and they were speaking in hushed tones.

"Well then, this is a bit impressive looking," the Doctor said, in his typical exuberance as he bounded over to Malcolm and Mandy's monitoring station. Rose walked up to Pete who looked at her for a while before yanking her into his arms for a fierce hug. He stepped back and cleared his throat. The Doctor walked up and took Rose's hand and looked at him and nodded.

Jack walked up to the other side of Rose who now was staring at the book laying innocently on the floor.

"Doctor, that looks like..."

"Yes. It's like the book that initially transported you to the Eternal's realm oh so many months ago. When you disappeared, Perry and I searched and found this one laying under some furniture. I recognized it's power and unusual properties right away. It will be our transport to get us where we need to go."

"And it's safe?"

"As safe as we can make some ancient, mysterious tome that may be almost as old as the universe itself, and has a nasty habit of shunting people off to the Netherworld or worse not to mention seems to..."

"Doctor," Rose interrupted. "It takes us to the Netherworld, yes?"

"Yep," he agreed, rocking back on his heels.

She nodded. "And this lot here, they're here to help us find our way back?"

"They are back up, our homing beacon our League of Temporal Defenders."

"League of Temporal Defenders?" Rose repeated with a grin. "All right, so exactly when did you work this out?" Rose asked, crossing her arms and looking perturbed at having been excluded in the planning process.

"Wellll, Jack and I had a few conversations and I might have rang up Pete when you were napping one day," he explained, tugging at his ear. She glared at him. "I didn't want to worry you and you were having those nightmares. There was nothing you could do. The team here pulled all this together. Well, they did with my quite frankly magnificent ability to calculate the rift energy and manipulation of..." He drifted off after everyone stopped and stared. "Yes, brilliant team here and they did help a little."

Mandy walked up and attached small fluorescent green octagon shaped pins on their clothing. "This will help us locate you. The Doctor programmed them with each of your bio signatures and unique energy readings," Mandy told Rose. Jake walked up and handed Rose a keychain with an icon of Godzilla dangling from it.

"Jake, this is your lucky charm," Rose said, holding it in her hands and looking up at him.

"You need it more than me. Just bring it back," he said tersely, before pulling her into a fierce hug.

"It's time," Jack told them. The Doctor nodded and their team backed away to the edges of the room. Jack, Rose and the Doctor looked at each other.

They joined hands and looked nervously at the book. "Ready?" the Doctor asked.

"Nope, but that's never stopped me from following two gorgeous danger magnets," Jack responded, with a cheeky grin. Rose laughed and looked over at him.

"Whatever happens, don't let go of me until I give you the all clear," the Doctor lectured. Rose and Jack nodded each firmly grasping one of his hands. He knelt and they knelt with him and he touched his forehead to the open book. Something reverberated throughout the room and the three of them disappeared before the eyes of the Torchwood team. 

An intense pressure constricted around them and a frigid cold pierced them deep inside. They felt as if they were being frozen from the inside out until they could barely breathe. Just as they thought the intense freezing pain would suffocate them and shatter them into fragments across the universe, they came to an abrupt stop. Still clasping each other they slowly regained awareness as the thick, inky darkness which had enveloped them ebbed away leaving them in a gray and cloudy unkempt garden filled with withered and dried up plants. The Doctor let out a breath into the cold, stale air.

"It's okay. You can let go now." Jack and Rose released their death grip on the Doctor's hands which he shook out to try and get the circulation back. Jack and Rose slowly sat up and looked around.

"Looks different from the last time I was here," she said, standing up, brushing herself off and looked around at the gloomy environment with dead leaves crunching under her feet.

"Part of what we perceive is set by our own expectations. Sort of how our minds are processing what this place is," the Doctor explained.

"Well, I gotta say, this is definitely not what I was expecting" Jack said, standing up and walking over to a dead plant which crumbled when he touched it. "I mean Rose, didn't you say it was a green and thriving garden when you were here?"

"Yeah, it was a proper English garden with flowers and everything trimmed and growing. Course, this doesn't look anything like it so maybe we're not in the same place?"

"We're where ever they wanted us to be when we arrived. They want it to look unwelcoming. It's not like they invited us to tea. We're here to free someone they're holding captive. It's not like we're just going to waltz in rescue the captive, waltz out and everyone lives happily ever after. They're Eternals. Happily ever after bores them." The Doctor clenched his jaw as he scanned the dying and decrepit garden. "Let's keep moving."

They slowly walked down a broken and crumbling stone path with dead weeds that had grown in the cracks. The cautiously observed the dried, brown and gray garden as they passed row after row of dead and disintegrating plants. The light filtered through the dark clouds cast shadows among the withering plants giving the place menacing feel. They passed several dirty white statues of toga enrobed humans in various positions. Some were crumbling and missing appendages, covered in dirt with dead vines wrapped around them. Others appeared intact but deteriorating.

"Doc, I got a bad feeling about this," Jack said, as he tensed up and kept scanning the area around them and looking over his shoulder periodically.

"Yeah, something's wrong. I feel like we're being watched," Rose said, pulling her jacket tightly around her and zipping it up as she stared at one of the old statutes.

"Yes, I feel it too. Remember, we stick together. They're going to try and separate us and work on us individually. We can't let that happen," the Doctor said softly, staring at the dead hedges as the wind gusted by them blowing the dried leaves from the bushes until they floated away in the wind in a symbolic dance of death. Rose looked over shoulder and stopped.

"Doctor!"

He turned abruptly sonic in hand and looked in the direction she was staring. "What is it? What did you see?"

"The statutes. They're moving. I saw one move."

"Are you sure? Jack asked in a tight voice, hands clenched ready for a fight.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and walked up to a statute. After a while he turned it off. "I don't see anything, but then this is the Netherworld and nothing will be as it appears." Suddenly the statutes eyes opened. Two piercing black holes stared out at them. Rose grabbed the Doctor's arm and tugged him back.

"Creatures of the mortal world, you have intruded into the realm of all that was. In order for you to find your way to all that is, you must find the crossing, the boundary between what was and what is."

"Doctor, what does it mean?" Rose asked.

"It means we have to keep going and quickly. This is a place of deterioration and death. We can't stay here. Come on."

"And, how are we going to find this crossing?" Jack asked, as he reluctantly turned away from the now solid statute.

"We need to find a place where the garden is not as withered, a place slightly less decayed. The closer we get to the boundary to all that is, the more alive things will be."

"How we going to know what direction that is?" Rose asked, as they walked quickly away. "This place looks enormous.

The Doctor stopped and looked up into the air for moment and inhaled. He started to grin and tapped his nose. "It won't smell like this place. Take a whiff. It smells stale." Rose inhaled and scrunched her nose and looked at him questioningly. He shook his head. "Oh humans and their diminished senses. It smells almost like nothingness. When we reach the boundary it will smell more like something alive. Come on, let's not dally here any longer than necessary. Don't want to start withering away with this place." He took a few steps and inhaled. "This way!" He raced forward like a bloodhound on the trail of it's prey.

Jack put his hand on Rose's arm. "You are not telling me we're going to sniff our way out of this are you?" Rose just shrugged, smiled and ran after the Doctor. He turned back one more time and saw the creepy statutes all staring at him. "Right, think I'll just follow the man following his nose." Jack ran after them happy to get away from the creepy statutes who whispered after him "He is waiting for you."

It seemed like they wandered through the garden filled with dead plants forever. They would move quickly and then stop so the Doctor could try and get a scent of something alive and then quickly move on only to stop again. Just as Jack was about to voice his concerns with this process and with the fact that they seemed to be heading closer toward the center of the garden and not toward the edge, the Doctor let out an exclamation. "Ha!" He knelt down and pointed to a withered plant with a bit of green on some of it's stems. "This way!" he shouted and took off at a run practically dragging Rose by the hand. Soon the stone path became less cracked, the stones looked less worn and the vegetation became more lush although none of it appeared quite healthy.

They slowed as they entered a section that was more of a garden maze with tall, thick hedges on either side. The Doctor slowed to ponder each juncture before taking off again. They soon reached the end of a particular section and could see a courtyard with a white wooden gazebo in the middle.

The Doctor smirked. "Go on now, feel free to admire the superior Time Lord olfactory senses," he said, to Jack and Rose while shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

"Fine, no one can sniff his way out of dead dimension like you, Doc," Jack said, and slapped him on the back while Rose tried to muffle a giggle. The Doctor scowled at Jack a bit before he grasped Rose's hand and walked into the courtyard. As they followed the main path to the Gazebo, they noticed a large square stone that stood upright almost like a tombstone etched with a grid containing symbols in each square in the middle of the path. The Doctor stopped and examined it.

"What's this?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. Looks to be some kind of puzzle."

Jack stepped forward past the rock. As he took a few steps further toward the gazebo, a blue light flashed, he screamed and was thrown backwards.

Rose shouted to him and raced over where he lay on the ground. The Doctor held her back from touching him.

"Don't! He's still conducting the charge!" They watched as sparks of blew light flashed across his skin until they appeared to short out. Within a few minutes, Jack sat up with a gasp. "You all right, Jack?" he asked, as he pulled out his sonic and scanned Jack, the area and then turned to the grid.

"Yeah sure, I'm always all right after being zapped by some unknown energy force. What the hell was that, Doc?"

"I think this might be a security system to prevent anything or one from leaving the domain of what was. This grids is like the key to unlock the security system."

"The Eternals do love games. You think they're testing us?" Rose asked, looking closer at the grid.

"I'm sure of it. Look at these symbols in the squares. I think maybe we need to press them in some type of order. Sort of an encrypted lock."

"Yeah, but if the answer is hidden in the grid, shouldn't there be some kind of riddle or question to be answered?" Jack asked.

"Look around. There has to be something we're missing." The three of them raced around the perimeter of the courtyard looking for anything that might be connected or related to the grid, its purpose or information as to how to get past the barrier. After an hour of searching, Rose walked up to the grid sighed, stared at the gazebo and saw it.

"Doctor!" she shouted. Both the Doctor and Jack ran back to her.

"What did you find it?" the Doctor asked, looking around. She help up a finger and pointed toward the ground near the gazebo. "What, where? I don't see it, Rose."

Jack looked up and smiled. "Way to go Rose!" The Doctor turned to him now aggravated. "She's right, it's been in front of us the whole time. Look at the shadows on the ground."

The Doctor looked at the shadows being cast by the gazebo which were flickering in and out as the clouds passed over whatever the light source in this realm was. He put on his glasses and pulled out his sonic recording the shadows. When the clouds once again darkened the sky, he pulled out his sonic and played the recording in front of them. They all knelt around it and looked at the lines that appeared with dots intermixed on and between them.

"It's some type of code," Jack said, as he stared intently at the image.

"Is it some version of morse code?" Rose asked

"No," the Doctor answered, completely absorbed by the image.

"A mathematical equation of some sort?" Jack guessed. "Maybe we need to take some measurements between the lines or…." Before he could finish the Doctor jumped up.

"Yes! Of course. That's what it is! Jack you are brilliant! Measures, bar lines and staff lines!" the Doctor shouted out with exuberance.

"Still not getting it," Rose said, shaking her head.

"Music?" Jack asked.

The Doctor grinned and drew lines on the dots showing them as notes.

"It's a song," Rose breathed.

"Yep! Now, I have to tinker with it a bit to make sure I'm not turning a quarter note into an eighth note." Jack grinned and started reading the notes and humming. The Doctor looked up and peered at Jack through his glasses.

"No, don't do that," he said, shaking his head and then went back to work.

"Everyone's a critic," Jack said, and walked over and sat down next to Rose as they watched him work. Eventually he sat up and shouted out, "Molto Bene!" He turned to Rose and Jack who looked at him in anticipation. "Prepare to be amazed," he stated, cockily. "This is Bad Moon Rising," he told them quite pleased with himself and sang a few lyrics.

Jack and Rose looked at each and then back at him. "And, exactly how does that help us solve the puzzle?" Jack asked.

"We follow the lyrics to the song and press the appropriate symbols in the order they are mentioned in the song. See here," he told them, and walked over to the grid. "This one right here," he said, pointing at it with his sonic. "It's the universal symbol for the moon and the next one has the universal symbol for trouble or warning. Next, the symbol for bad or danger. Just like the lyrics. You know, I see the bad moon arising, I see trouble on the way, I see earthquakes and lightning, I see bad times today. Get it?"

"If you say so, Doc," Jack answered, staring at the grid in disbelief.

The Doctor sighed. "Just trust me and come over next to me. The Doctor hit the symbol for the moon and then followed with the appropriate symbol matching the lyrics. Nothing appeared to change.

"Well that's a bit rubbish. You'd think there'd be something a bit more flash happening after all that," he said, and sniffed. He looked at Jack, "Well, go on give it a go."

"Gee, thanks, Doc," Jack said, and walked forward expecting something bad. He walked up to the gazebo with no problems followed quickly by the Doctor and Rose. Jack grabbed both their hands and they looked at each and nodded before walking into the gazebo. Just as the Doctor was once again about to complain, a the light flared and a warm breeze blew through the gazebo. They blinked and when they looked out, they were in a lush, grassy field.

"Doctor, this is where we played croquet!" Rose exclaimed. They let go of each other and looked around the field.

"So where to next?" Jack asked. As he looked out, he swore he saw someone walking along the treeline of a forest in the distance. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" the Doctor asked.

"I thought I saw someone near those trees," Jack said, pointing to the tree line in the distance.

"Easy, Jack. Remember, this is the Netherworld and not everything is as it seems. They'll do anything to manipulate you." Jack nodded but kept staring at the trees.

"Doctor, that forest is where I met the golfer. Maybe we should head that way and see what we can find," Rose said.

"All right. Let's go, but no wandering off."

They walked over a grassy hill toward the forest which resembled a Swiss alpine forest. Rose grabbed both their hands as they entered the dark, piney woods. Once they had stepped into the wooded area, it was like they were enveloped by the shadows. The tree canopy seemed to swallow the sunlight only allowing enough light in to accentuate the dark shadowy feel of the forest. A cool breeze carried the scent of pine and damp mustiness. The pine straw beneath their feet made the ground feel spongy as if they were not truly walking on land but some great pine sea. As Rose had the first time she entered these woods, she again heard a wolf howl. She stopped and shivered.

"Rose, you all right?" Jack asked.

"Did you see something the Doctor said quietly, sonic in hand.

"Didn't you hear it?" she asked.

"Hear what?" Jack said, looking around nervously.

"The wolf howling" she said to them. The Doctor looked unnerved by this comment.

"Rose I didn't hear anything," Jack answered.

"Come on, let's keep moving," the Doctor said softly, still scanning the woods around them.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, his shoulders tense and eyes darting around. As they continued deeper into the woods, every snapped branch or bird fluttering it's wings flying overhead only increased the tense atmosphere.

"Is it getting darker?" Rose asked.

"I think the woods are just becoming more dense," Jack said. The Doctor had grown quiet. Suddenly, a haunting melody echoed about the woods. A sad but mesmerizing song wrapped around them and drew them further into the dark forest.

"Doctor?" Rose asked but it was like he couldn't hear her. She turned to Jack and saw the same blank expression on his face. She gasped as she saw a dark figure approach. She squinted her eyes as it was as if she knew someone was there but couldn't see any physical features other than a dark shadowy humanoid looking figure. The Doctor and Jack dropped her hands.

"No! Doctor! Jack!" she called out to them, but just as in her dream, each seemed unaware of her or the other. Tears streamed down her face as she watched the horrible nightmare manifest before her as Jack fell to his knees gripping his head and screaming while the Doctor stood stock still staring at nothingness and shouted one anguished "No!"

The darkened figure approached Rose and soon manifested itself into a human form.

Amidst her inner turmoil at the apparent distress of Jack and the Doctor, she gaped as the dark figure morphed into the rock star Gene Simmons. Rose gasped, "You've got to be kidding me," as the world around her darkened and she found herself alone in a dark nothingness facing the Gene Simmons replica dressed all in black with dark sunglasses and a large grin on his face.


	53. Chaotic Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We left off with Rose, Jack and the Doctor making their way through a dark forest in the Netherworld. Something has happened to Jack and the Doctor and they cannot see or hear Rose and appear to be experiencing some type of waking nightmare. This is the event that she has been dreaming about. A dark eternal has approached her bearing a striking resemblance to rock star, Jean Simmons dressed all in black.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and no real or living character referenced in this fic is intended to defame or insult anyone nor do I profit from any such reference. Please do not sue me.

“Well now, what do have we here? A lost wolf," the image of Gene Simmons said, as he walked toward her smiling. She stared at him her face a mixture of disbelief and worry.

He slid off his mirrored sunglasses. "Not just lost, but beautiful as well. Welcome my lovely wolf. I thought it time our paths crossed."

"Seriously, Gene Simmons? What’s that about?" Rose asked, with a bravado she wasn’t sure she felt as she furiously tried to psychically contact the Doctor with no luck. The psychic link which she was normally able to tap into appeared to be nothing but a black hole.

He smiled and ran a hand down his arm brushing off a piece of lint and looked at her and shrugged. "Why not? He's quite charismatic, powerful, a showman, and is known as The Demon. I rather like him. All that sex, drugs and rock n roll persona. Think about it, rock concerts, explosions, young humans clamoring to the rhythm of loud chaotic songs, not to mention, the lovely groupies willing to do anything just for some small acknowledgment or physical contact. 

"They worshipped him you know. Even now, in the autumn of his life. Not bad for a human. Not that I dislike humans, mind you. I find them quite a riveting species." He strolled around her stopping once to gaze upward into the dark abyss. "The human race is capable of so much and they impact the universe in so many ways, exploration, domination, conquering the unknown, facing the terrible and going where other species wouldn’t dream of entering. They personify a fearless, aggressive species not afraid to cross the line or do what they have to gain knowledge and power." He grinned with delight relishing his description.

Rose rolled her eyes. "What, you expect me to be impressed? I don't think so. What have you done to Jack and the Doctor!" she demanded, concern now growing within her for what the Doctor and Jack may be facing.

"Done? Well I have done nothing. As I am enjoying your company, they are off on their own journey, my wolf." His voice growled out the words and his dark eyes bored into her.

"I am not your wolf! And what do you mean their own journey?" she asked, fear tightening her chest. This Eternal was not like the others. She had a deep seeded instinct to run fast and far away from this one.

"Ahhh yes, you see yourself as his wolf, his Rose don't you?" The black nothingness dissipated as light glowed around them and she found herself in a cavernous room that looked like something out of a medieval castle. The walls and floors were made of heavy, gray stone. A few Persian rugs were haphazardly covering part of the floor. At the far end of the room was a roaring fire in a fireplace so large, ten people could have stood inside shoulder to shoulder. The room was filled with heavy pieces of dark medieval style furniture and on the walls hung tapestries and paintings depicting battle scenes of humans and aliens alike. The Eternal stood near the fireplace gazing into the flames holding a brass jewel encrusted goblet and appeared to be drinking wine. He turned to her and motioned to a sitting area near the fire. Rose slowly walked over toward him and sat down.

"You still haven't answered my question about Jack and the Doctor," she said, glaring at him. He chuckled.

"Still focused on them are you? If I were you, I'd be asking why I brought you here?" he suggested, his dark eyes staring at her speculatively.

"Not until you tell me about Jack and the Doctor."

He shrugged and snapped his fingers. An image of Jack appeared in the fire. Rose gasped as she watched Jack suffer.

***********************

 

An uncomfortable stomach twisting uneasiness settled over Jack as they walked into the forest. Thet uneasiness increased ten fold the further they walked. When Rose mentioned hearing a wolf howl and he saw the tense expression on the Doctor's face, he knew things were bad. He kept feeling like something was watching them. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, a dark shadow darted behind a tree. He stopped and scanned the forest trying to find what he had glimpsed. A face peered from behind a tree and he gasped.

"It can't be," he whispered. A chill settled over him and his stomach dropped as a young boy stepped out and waved to him. "No," he said, and shook his head as he watched a Ziinhaz, which was a brown bipedal reptilian-like warrior species, appear behind the boy. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he found himself on a sand dune on the Boeshane Peninsula overlooking a Ziinhaz encampment. They were dragging off his people including his brother Gray, bloodied and in chains. His brother was crumpled on the ground and looked up staring him in the eye and shouting, "It's all your fault! You were suppose to protect me!"

Jack fell to his knees in the wet sand and shouted “No!” He watched rooted to the ground in terror as the Ziinhaz abused his people and brother. As they dragged Gray away, determination burned deep in his chest. He leapt to his feet and raced toward the encampment where the Ziinhaz shouted in their garbled language. They slashed at him with an energy whip. He screamed in pain but got up and kept running toward Gray. 

He was hit again and again each time he tried to get up until there was nothing left on him but bloodied and tattered clothing. Still, he crawled toward his beaten and broken brother curled up on the ground in restraints. The beating continued as as he clawed at the sand, pulling his broken body forward. Just as he reached Gray, his brother was whisked away by his captors. Darkness overwhelmed Jack and he fell unconscious. 

When he awakened, he was in some type of small, dark metallic prison cell lying on a dirty foul smelling floor. He tried to rise but could do no more than kneel. He crawled toward a small opening which faced a corridor. As he peered out, he saw an older version of Gray staring back at him. Gray’s eyes were cold and cruel and filled with hatred. He spat vicious words at Jack. 

“You pathetic, worthless excuse of a brother. Look at me. I lost everything, my family, my freedom and any life I had and now all I have is my hatred and this miserable existence of slavery, servitude and daily beatings.” He walked closer to Jack’s cell. “I suffered while you lived the good life. The star agent, poster boy for the agency that everyone loves and wants to bed. But, not anymore. I hope you rot here and it takes centuries for them to beat you until you’re nothing more than a shriveled whimpering worm. You are a failure and now you’ll spend the rest of your life suffering for your sins.” He spit in Jack’s face and walked away.

“No Gray, I didn’t mean for this to happen! No, Pllleasse. Please don’t go. I’ll save you. I’ll make it right. Please, please just let me help you,” Jack begged, his heart clenching in pain. The Ziinhaz came and hauled him out of the cell and threw him against a wall and continued to beat and whip him until he blacked out.

When he regained consciousness, he was no longer in the prison. He was back in his clothing and lying on his stomach on a sticky, dirty floor of some dive bar. He heard shouting and what sounded like furniture crashing. The scent of liquor and alien ale permeated the air as he rolled over and rose to his knees. A glass flew by him crashing into a wall splattering his jacket with Malovian Gin. He cautiously stood up and realized he recognized this place. It was a bar on a satellite near Licentia which was the lead planet in the Rapacious Conglomeration. 

It was a dark and seedy place filled with all manner of thieves, con artists, assassins and pirates. As he looked around, he saw people grouped in the shadows or leaning against the bar barely paying any mind to the bar fight. He looked across the bar and gasped when he saw a man and two aliens arguing and throwing things at each other. His former lover, Keir, who was a human trader from New Earth was staring at a couple of Cleone pirates. He walked through the crowd but no one looked at him. He called out to Keir but he never acknowledged Jack. The shouting escalated and as Keir turned to walk away, one of the pirates pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the back. He dropped to the floor and Jack cried out. Jack ran over to him and cradled Keir in his arms weeping. Finally, Keir looked at him.

“You said you loved me and then you left me. Said you’d be back in a few days and then nothing. This is all you’re fault. If you’d been here, I’d have had someone to watch my back. You were more interested in your career than me, than us. You selfish bastard!” he accused, and coughed blood on a horrified Jack.

“No, Keir. I wanted to come back but I couldn’t. Please don’t go,” he begged, tears running down his face as guilt and self loathing gutted him.

“You don’t care about anything but yourself. I curse you to the loneliness I have endured,” he gasped, before breathing his last breath in Jack’s arms.

“Nooooo!” Jack cried, cradling his lost lover and weeping openly for him. 

Darkness again closed in, pressing the air from his chest and constricting and banding around his body. Soon he was alone in a black nothingness. There was no sound, no scent, nothing to touch and only a cold and aching loneliness filled him. He closed his eyes and screamed but no sound left him. Just as he felt himself tipping over the edge of sanity, he felt a warmth deep inside of himself. An image formed in his mind and he felt like he was enveloped by a golden light. 

When he opened his eyes he saw an image emerging. It was Rose and the Doctor smiling and holding hands looking at him. They were in the garden of the manor. He looked at Rose’s eyes and remembered something. He reached into his pocket and closed his hand around a small polished stone that Perry had given him. He pulled it out and looked at the image of Rose and the Doctor and smiled.

He stared into the darkness. “No, I’m not alone. We’re family and you’re not going to keep us apart,” he stated, with assurance. He smiled squeezed the empathic stone Perry had given him and focused on Rose and the Doctor.

**********************************

 

The image dissolved before Rose could see Jack recover his confidence. The last thing Rose saw before the image dissolved into the fire was Jack screaming. She stood up and turned to the Eternal enraged at Jack's torment. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

"There's nothing for me to stop. He created this all on his own and only he can stop it."

"And the Doctor, what are you doing to him?" she asked, her fists clenched in her anger.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him. I'm sure he'll be along shortly," he said, as he sauntered over to her swirling his wine. "I'm more interested in talking about you," he purred, as he walked around her slowly. As he circled around to the other side of her, his appearance had changed and she was now staring at Al Pacino dressed in a black suit with a white dress shirt with a few buttons open and a few gold chains around his neck. He grinned and held up his wine glass in a toast.

"You think I'm trying to stop you from your little task. Maybe I am or maybe I'm amused by all your running about and making mischief." Rose glared at him and he chuckled. "Come now! You have to admit, you have been involved in some deliciously violent and tumultuous events. Just look at your first task. You ended up on a ship leading an uprising of slaves and destroying a slave trader. You have a particular talent for encouraging uprisings, you know. Then, there was the Hadry." He elegantly collapsed into a black leather chair. "Another instance of glorious destruction."

Rose turned and crossed her arms still staring at him with anger. "Stop right there. We didn't kill it. It was a water spirit and we freed it so it could become the lake again."

"Tomato, tomauto. You say free, I say destroyed the form it chose. Now, the next task fascinates me," he said, and leaned forward. "You enter a realm of protected. unusual and perhaps dangerous creatures and allow this Doctor to abandon you with the Keeper, a man of dubious intentions. He left you there and had quite the time with that delicious Cerva. Those two did enjoy partying didn't they," he said, grinning and swirling his finger in his wine glass and seductively sucking the wine from his finger and winking at Rose.

Rose smirked. "I know what your trying to do and it won't work. I know all about the deer tart. She was using him just like she used Jack. The Doctor came home to me." Confidence chased away her fear as she met this creature's gaze.

He shrugged. "Perhaps, but that's not the point and you know it. He took you for granted. Although, he did get a bit more possessive after that. He really didn't like you alone with handsome Jack now did he?" The Eternal drew out his words. 

"You started to see some of his possessive behavior during your trip to India. Oh, and I must commend your ability to sway the Plumianto warriors. Are you seeing it yet? Inciting rebellion and inspiring warriors. What talent." He clicked his tongue and winked at her. "But, let's not overlook the next task, the deadly birds. That's when you got a real taste of the dark possessive nature of your lover didn't you? You saw the killer and powerful dark lord he has within him. Just imagine, Rose. If this watered down version of a Time Lord has all that darkness deep within, what must the full Time Lord be capable of. It gives me goose bumps to think of the potential.

"Stop it. The Doctor's a good man," Rose insisted, insecurity chilling her along with a thorn of guilt piercing deep into her heart.

"Ah, but he's not a man. He's a Time Lord. Of course, not the Doctor you're with. Your Doctor is slightly less as you found out in your assignment to capture the bull. He couldn't even handle a simple task like that. You're the one who accomplished the goal. He hated that. It might have festered a bit inside of him and that lovely darkness bloomed when he found you captured by the Vorank about to be fed to the carnivorous horses. I did quite like those horses. Nice touch don't you think?"

"The horses were your doing? Figures," she said with bitter contempt, standing and walking over to the fire. She rubbed her arms and stared into it's depths as if she was looking for some answer to what she should do next and becoming more and more worried about what the Eternals had planned for the Doctor.

"I must compliment you for your work with the Amazons as well. Again, you showed your ability to shake things up and proving that change and growth comes from violent eruptions and you my dear, were at the center of it."

Rose tried to hold in the emotions that were roiling through her but a tear escaped and rolled down her face as she continued to stare into the fire while thinking about Hippolyta and the events that transpired among the Amazons." The Eternal’s recap of the worst of their adventures was beginning to take its toll on her.

"Of course, your glorious trail of violence, upheaval and destruction was interrupted by that meddling Doctor. He had no right to release the Keeper." The Eternal's voice tighted with the first hint of anger. "Things in Switzerland might have been different if your precious Jack had stayed where he belonged."

Rose turned. "You’re the one that changed Jack and imprisoned him in the Reserve? Why?"

He looked up at her smiling again. "Jack. You seem so sure he's just like the Jack you knew. You don't even no anything about him. Perhaps one day he'll show you who he really is."

"What do you mean!" Rose demanded.

"You'll find out soon enough, but we haven't finished with our reminiscing. Let us not forget your little trip to the Amazon. Death followed you there didn't it. Oh, and then there is loss and sacrifice. It's all around you my pretty little wolf, death, destruction, violence and friends sacrificing themselves all for you. That’s power." He held up his glass in a toast.

“No, you’re wrong. Me and the Doctor didn’t do anything for power. He wants to do what’s right, to help people see their potential. He did that for me and that’s who he is. I‘m not gonna give up on him or this task. Now, if you‘re done with your evil taunting, I‘d like to get back to him,” she told him her voice quavering just a bit.

“Is that what you think? That he made you better?” The Eternal just shook his head chuckling. “Oh my dear Rose, my poor wolf. Here you are with all the potential in the mulitverse and all you can think about is getting back to him. Oh, he has you so bound to him. I’ll bet he doesn’t normally let you get far. When was the last time you went out on your own and did something without asking his permission?"

“No, you're wrong, he trusts me." She tilted her chin up in defiance refusing to allow this Eternal to twist her love for the Doctor into something sick. "You make it sound like I’m his prisoner or something and that’s not true. Him and me, we’re partners, together.”

Again he chuckled. “He’s got you on a leash up here,” he said, tapping his temple. He’s tagged your mind. He could track you anywhere. Course, he’s a bit rubbish at it, especially given he’s disabled by this part human garbage he is now. You know, I could help you. Free you. Give you so much more. If you like his form, I could be that too and show you far more. I can be anything you want you know. Doesn’t matter to me. Oh how about this?” Snap.

Before her eyes, the Eternal became her first Doctor dressed in leather with his piercing icy blue eyes. “You did have a thing for the leather didn’t you. All northern and danger he was then." His Northern accent affected Rose more than she wanted to admit. "That’s when you sparked my interest you know. You called it your first date — the destruction of the Earth! Oh, I knew you had potential right then and there. You barely even flinched. Oh yes, I saw you then, sweet little ape.”

“Stop it! No, you’re wrong! That’s not who I am and it’s not why he asked me to go with him!”

“Oh Come on! Don‘t act like one of those stupid apes! You're better than that. Time, it moves around you differently, not in a normal way like other humans or mortals. You were born with potential to be something else. All it took was one little push and some temporal energy. Look at you. Creature of time you are. Even here with the Eternals, you stand out.”

“I don’t care what you think,” she told him, trying not to listen to him as he did his best to sow the seeds of doubt in her mind.

He grinned her first Doctor’s manic grin and walked over to her. “Course you do. You can’t help it. It’s part of who you are. Now then, what you say Rose Tyler, anywhere in time and space free of charge, just you and me. Leave all the rest of this nonsense behind and let’s have some fun. You know you want to.”

She stared into those blue eyes that were once so filled with mischief, amusement and sometimes a tragic sadness she would do anything to wipe it away. Of all the images he could choose, he chose the one that would bring forth the most reaction from her. He just didn’t realize that this image was the one that made her want to fight even harder to find the Doctor and Jack and finish this last task.

“No,” she answered, without the least bit hesitation and with strength and conviction.

“No? That’s your answer? You sure about this? You’d really rather be stuck with some weak half breed who can barely stay focused on the task at hand much less keep you and your family safe.”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything. I promised him forever. He may not be perfect but neither am I. Might as well cock it up together. You Eternals keep trying to bust us up cause you know that we’re strong together. Him and me and now Jack. Stuff may not always happen the way we want, but we won’t stop trying do what’s right.”

She saw a flash of anger in his eyes but it passed quickly. He shrugged his shoulders and a cocky look crossed his face. “Fine, suit yourself. Just remember, I offered you a way out. Guess we’ll find out how well you know him and how strong you both really are. Rose Tyler, you better be prepared cause what’s behind that door won’t be as accomdating as me.” he said, pointing to a massive wooden door that appeared to the side. It was twice the size of Rose, made of some course wood with large metal hinges and an old metal ring for a door knob.

She looked back at him. “What’s behind the door? Is that where the Doctor is?”

A dark, sadistic look lit his face that she had never seen on her first Doctor. “What, you want my help now? Too late for that. Besides shouldn’t you be trying to complete your task instead of moaning and whinging about some Doctor. Go on now, time to see what‘s waiting for you behind that door.” he said, waving her on.

Rose exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and walked toward the door. She placed her hand on the wood as if she could glean some psychic image of what was behind the door. She turned around to find the Eternal gone. Although she was glad to be done with him, she was almost more nervous about what she would find behind the door. She reached out and grasped the blackened metal ring and tugged at the door. It was heavy and opened with a grating sound and a teeth gritting creak and whine. A gust of cold air hit her in the face along with the scent of candles burning, incense and something else that she always identified as time.


	54. Overcoming The Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW warning on this chapter.
> 
> After Rose’s encounter with the Eternal of Chaos, she is faced with the next step in her journey in the Netherworld. For those not familiar, the Valeyard was introduced in Classic Who and is alleged to be the personification of anything evil within the Doctor. It is said he comes into being sometime between the Doctor’s twelfth and final incarnation. He went back in the Doctor’s timeline and was involved in a trial of the Doctor. He tried to persuade the Time Lords that the Doctor had committed crimes and that the Doctor’s remaining regenerations should be given to him. It is also alleged he was Jack the Ripper. Basically, The Valeyard is one evil, power hungry guy. A tremendous thank you and shout out to Who_in_whoville who betaed this chapt for me. One more thing - this chapt, has a scene that is quite explicit so if that bothers you, consider yourself warned.

Rose slipped into the darkened room lit only by the orange glow from a fireplace at the far end of the room. There was a large chair sitting before the fireplace with a darkened figure who snapped his fingers. The door slammed shut behind her with a bang.

“Hello?” she asked, tentatively. Several candles lit themselves, further illuminating the room which was made of the same gray stone of the previous room; this room was also decorated in a Medieval style. Rose gasped when she saw the figure lounging seductively in what she could only describe as a throne. It was some dark version of her Doctor. He had the same tousled hair but had heavy black kohl around his eyes, was shirtless and wore tight leather pants. His finger nails were colored black and he stared at her with chocolate brown eyes filled with lust and a touch of cruelty. He smirked as his eyes lazily traveled over her body pausing at her breasts and then boring into her eyes.

“Doctor?” she asked, questioningly.

He laughed but not with joy. “Rose Tyler, I’ve been waiting a long time for our paths to cross.” He reached over to a dark wooden table and lifted up an ornate crystal decanter and poured some of the golden colored contents into a crystal goblet. He sipped, licking his lips and staring at her through heavily lidded eyes.

“Doctor, what’s wrong? What’s happening?” She looked around the room for a clue but finding only a sinister air to it, with darkened corners and crevices illuminated only by the flickering candle light and flames in the fireplace which cast strange shadows dancing across the walls.

He stood up from the throne standing tall, the oncoming storm shining in his eyes. “That name has no meaning for me anymore.” He prowled over to her almost like a predator stalking its prey. He paused and regarded her again and sipped the amber colored liquid.

“You’re not my Doctor. Who are you?” Rose asked, trying to sound firm but failing. Facing a dark version of her Doctor was not something she had anticipated and it bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

He chuckled. “Oh Rose, you always were clever and paid attention to details. I missed that when I lost you. Few of my companions had that quality. You were also one of the few willing to sacrifice everything for me. I find that very appealing. I always did, but back then, I let other nonsense get in the way. I no longer have that problem. But, we’re not here to talk about me. You came here cause you want something.”

Rose stared at him and could barely comprehend the dark creature in front of her was some form of the Doctor. “Yeah, I have this task I have to complete and I have to find my Doctor and Jack.”

He snorted. “Typical. Saving the universe and countless ungrateful races. Oh Rose, I so mislead you. You know most of them aren’t worth saving.” He turned around and tossed his drink in the fire and watched it flare.

“Look, I don’t know what happened to you but I do know you’re better than this,” Rose pleaded with him.

“Better? Oh I’m better all right. I’ve been better for a while now." His voice purred the words as he stepped forward with a slight sway of his hips. "You could be better too. You see, my gorgeous little ape, after enough millennia you get some perspective on things. You begin to see things for what they are. I lost my rose colored glasses a long time ago,” he told her with a wink, as he walked across the room and ran his fingers over a chair near her seductively caressing the leather covering.

“You’re not my Doctor. I don’t know who you are, but you’re not him. He wouldn’t be this cruel. I’m sorry for whatever happened to you. I’ll help you if I can, but I have to find someone the Eternals are holding captive. Do you know anything about it?”

He grinned at her and chuckled which then turned into a howling laugh. When he finally stopped he just looked at her with mischief in his eyes. “Oh Rose, it is good to have you here. In some ways, you haven’t changed. Same old Rose who wants to help everyone.” He shook his head and sauntered closer to her. “Problem is, you can’t.”

“What do you mean,” she asked, a her muscles tensing as he approached her.

“Well, you see the thing is, I’m not here to help you. Quite the opposite really. And what makes you think it’s the Eternals holding someone prisoner? Eternals can only influence others to do their bidding. They can’t physically restrain someone. Well, I suppose they could but that would be breaking a few rules. Not that they haven’t been known for breaking rules.”

Rose’s eyes widened in horror. “You. You’re helping them. Why? Why would you do that?”

He smirked. “Power. I help them and they help me. I’m bored of doing things the slow, old fashioned way. I want more.”

“More what?" He shiver coursed up her spine. "Doctor, please don’t do this. I know you’ve had a hard life and seen terrible things and maybe I can’t understand all of that, but I know you and deep inside, you care. You’re a good person,” Rose pleaded with him.

His eyes darkened in anger. “You know nothing!" He spit the words out and clenched his fists. "You’ve seen nothing of the cruelty and stupidity of the multiverse. I know loss and pain better than anyone and I’m tired of it. I’m tired of being used, unappreciated and pursued by those boring simpletons who could not begin to comprehend the power of time and the universe!” He paced back and forth before her, pausing to pin her with a hard stare. 

“But you, you did get a glimpse of it once upon a time. You saw it all. You absorbed the time vortex and for a few minutes you were a goddess,” he whispered to her in awe. “You controlled time, life, death, the ebb and flow of the universe. I took it from you and felt it flow through me and I understood why it was so hard for you to let go. I helped free you of it, but never understood how you did it. You, a simple, unsophisticated human girl held all of time and space in the palm of your delicate hand.” He smiled and held up his own hand. 

“But, I do understand now. I can see it in you. It set off changes in you that were always hidden within your genetic code. I was just too stupid to see it at the time, but I see it now. Oh, how I see it and you, my dear Rose, have blossomed.” He inhaled as if he was capturing the scent of something exotic and delectable. “Mmmm yes, you are definitely ripe.” Everything in Rose screamed at her to run but she couldn't. She had a task to complete and he, although twisted and corrupted, was still her Doctor.

“Stop it! Stop this! Doctor, I know you're in there somewhere. This isn't you. I can help you, but you have to stop this,” she pleaded.

“Stop this? No, Rose. This was always meant to be and you were always meant to be mine.” He walked up until he was inches from her and towered over her, his dark eyes looking down at her with a commanding presence. “I am not the Doctor. You will call me the Valeyard and you’re in my world now.”

Rose shook her head looking at him in distress and horror and slowly backed away.

“You don’t need to be afraid, Rose. Well, maybe you should be a bit. After all, I am a Time Lord with far more knowledge of time and power than you have. You have the natural ability to tap into it and I have the knowledge of how to manipulate it for our benefit.” Rose could see the madness glinting in his eyes. She walked a fine, dangerous line. She needed to push him as aggressively as he pushed her.

“If you’re not my Doctor, then why bother looking like him? If you‘re so all powerful, why not choose your own unique form? Why copy someone you don‘t even like?” she asked, her voice filled with a combination of fear and revulsion.

“Oh, but I like this form,” he said, as he admired himself in a full length mirror that appeared off to the side, running his hands down his body and patting his bum. He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled a slow sexy smile. “So many species find this form appealing, but then you know all about that don’t you?” He gracefully sidled up closer to her. “Yes, I think you understand exactly how appealing this form can be. You’ve spent many a day and night appreciating it haven’t you,” he said, in a growling voice as he circle around behind her and snaked his arms around her body. She stood stiff and closed her eyes wishing for all of this to go away.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” he purred into her ear, his breath tickling the small hairs along her neck. She shivered involuntarily. “Now then, that’s more like it,” he said, as he kissed her neck and embraced her tight against him. “Yes, I think we’re definitely making progress. You see what you miss is the power and self confidence.” He inhaled nuzzling her throat. “Hmmmm you smell like time and power. The things you could do, we could do together,” he told her, as he swayed her back and forth in his arms and hummed in her ear.

Her skin warmed and prickled at his touch. The world spun. Rose fought against the warmth seeping into her body, lulling her into a relaxed state. Her mind whirled and she fell into an almost trance-like state. She struggled through the fog in her mind and found herself lying on a large four poster bed with scarlet satin sheets in the middle of a darkened room. She was dressed in a black full length silk negligee with a deep V neckline dipping low and showing her cleavage. The halter top tied behind her neck and it had a slit all the way up to her thigh. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. 

Her Doctor appeared at the end of the bed dressed only in black satin lounge pants tied about his waist. He stared hotly and intently at her and she felt something dark and primal in response. He whispered her name in a growl and crawled on the bed until he was over her. Yearning pooled low within her as she stared into his eyes which were hotly assessing her. He slowly leaned down and licked her from the deep V up to her clavicle. Heat flushed through her at the barest touch.

She reached up and ran her hands across his taunt and muscled abdomen and tugged at the tie at his waist loosening his bottoms. He moaned and dropped down to her neck where he sucked and nipped. She arched into him bringing one of her legs up around his hip and he bit down on her hard. She jerked and dug her nails into his back at the pain and a shocking pleasure coursed through her body. He chuckled in her ear. “I knew you’d like that.” He then proceeded to suck and nip her earlobe as she squirmed and moaned beneath him trying to get more contact. He growled into her ear once more. “Let go, just feel.”

He lowered himself to her and tugged at the night gown until it was bunched around her waist and she tugged at his pajama bottoms until they were down and his erection was free. She reached down and caressed him while trying to angle him between her thighs. He pulled back and laughed. “Patience, all in good time,” he murmured as he moved back down to free her breasts which he then licked, sucked and nipped as she once again arched beneath him. Her eyes squeezed tight as she enjoyed every flick of his tongue, warm caress of his skin and a burning need to join with him. Her mind was fogged with lust and she had no concept of anything but the sensation of warmth and time he pulsed through her. 

Deep in the back of her mind, something twitched and pounded trying to catch her attention. But she couldn’t pay it any mind with the heat, passion and his dark promises overrunning all sense and reason. She just wanted to feel this, needed to feel this, was compelled to taste and enjoy every sensation. Impatience growled deep in her as he drew out his seductive game. She clawed into his back. He grabbed her wrists and held her down looking down at her with a dominant expression in his eyes. 

“Naughty, impatient Rose,” he whispered, as he held her down and pressed his forehead to hers. “Howl for me wolf,” he murmured, as he pushed his lust into her mind. Her body shuddered with the pleasure of being caressed in her mind, nerve endings sparking until she cried out and rolled him over until she was on top of him. Confidence and power coursed through her. She'd had enough, she was claiming what she wanted. Rose quickly aligned herself and impaled herself on him and began undulating and riding him, her nails gripping into his shoulders as she cried out. Faster and faster she felt a burning heat building within her. A door which had been shut tight in her mind opened and as she felt the orgasm dance up her spine flooding her with pleasure. 

But then she caught a glimpse of time lines all around her. Some were bright, others swirled, intertwined, diverged and split. She shut her eyes and tears fell down her face as she heard him scream “No! Not yet!” She heard a song in her head growing stronger and stronger overwhelming all other sensations and when she looked down at him she knew. 

“You’re not my Doctor and this is not for you,” she said, in an almost eerily calm voice. Almost like a rubber band snapping she gasped and opened her eyes and found herself standing next to the Valeyard who was panting and staring at her with angry, power hungry filled eyes.

She pulled away. “You bastard!” She slapped him across the face so hard he stumbled back. A red welt appeared on his cheek. “How dare you muck about in my mind with your dark, perverted fantasies,” she said, in a seething voice.

He smiled as he touched his face. “Oh, don’t play the innocent victim. You enjoyed that and will enjoy it next time as well. I may have underestimated you. Your mind is stronger than I expected. That won’t happen again. Next time precious, you’ll be mine and won’t return to this rebellious unappreciative state.” Before she could retort, he moved quickly snatching her arm and twisted it behind her. He shoved her toward the wall, sonicing it so that a gaping black hole opened and shoved her in. “Might want to think about this, love. We can do this the easy way or hard way next time. Either suits me. He blew her a kiss and with a cocky grin soniced the opening shut. She was enveloped in darkness.

She held out her arms to try and feel any walls and slid her feet over the floor which she thought might be stone. She blinked her eyes trying to acclimate to the dark when she heard a noise.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

She heard a gasp. “My name is Rose. I won’t hurt you. Can you see me?” Rose heard some scuffling and there was a faint glow a few feet away. The light moved and Rose saw a little girl who looked to be about six years old. “Oh,” she said softly. “He’s holding you prisoner, yeah?” she asked the child.

The little girl just stared at her and then nodded her head. Rose stepped closer and kneeled before her. She had deep brown eyes and a mass of curly brown hair. She was dressed in jeans and an emerald green jumper and matching cardigan. She was wearing white scuffed up trainers and wore a gold chain with a pink stone pendent. Rose smiled at her. “It’s gonna be all right. Me and my friends are here to rescue you.”

The little girl smiled shyly back at her and lifted up her hand gently trailing her fingers across Rose’s cheek. “You don’t know me?” she asked, with a question in her voice. Rose’s face fell a bit as she stared at the little girl. Something about her was familiar but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“No, I’m sorry. Have we met?”

The little girl’s eyes filled with sadness and tears. She looked down and quickly wiped at her face.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. I promise. I’m sorry I don’t remember you. Did we meet on Earth or somewhere else?”

The little girl looked up and that’s when Rose saw it. In her eyes, was something deep and profound. “Who are you? What’s your name?”

The girl looked down. “I can’t. It would break the rules and I’d get in trouble.”

“Okay." Rose nodded but couldn't deny the odd whisper in the back of her mind as she looked at the girl. "We’re meeting out of order, aren't we? The Doctor’s always talking about how he used to sometimes meet people out of order. A bit of a timey wimey thing.” The little girl brightened up and grinned at this. Rose smiled back at her. “That’s better. Now then, I get that I’m meeting you out of order and I know that’s gotta be hard but, it would be helpful if you could tell me your name.” The little girl’s smile fell a bit.

“I’m not s'pose to tell anyone anything. Names are powerful,” she said, solemnly.

Rose started to put the pieces together of how she might know this girl just as a wave of nausea hit her. She leaned over in front of the child and pressed her forehead to the cool floor. It had been days since she’d felt sick and she thought she was finally over whatever illness she had picked up in the Amazon. The child knelt down beside her and put her face next to Rose’s. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Just give me a minute,” Rose told her, as she broke out in a cold sweat and tried to focus on something other than her roiling stomach. The little girl shoved a peppermint in front of her nose. Rose breathed in deep and slowly let out her breath before accepting the candy. “Thanks.” She popped it in her mouth and sat down next to the girl and leaned against a nearby wall. The little girl stared up at her in concern, a very familiar concern.

“I promise, it’ll be all right. Just been through a bit of it lately and it’s catching up with me.” After she pulled herself together, she looked down at the child who was staring at her with such curiosity. She smiled. “Thanks for the peppermint. It’s helping. Still need to call you something. Can’t call you mysterious little girl or peppermint girl or time girl. That’d be a bit silly so I’m gonna have to call you something.” The girl giggled . “You look a bit like an Izzy to me.” The child’s jaw dropped and Rose smiled. “Ooo good on me, got that one right didn’t I?” she said, smiling. Rose reached down and grasped Izzy’s hand and felt a tingle. She then began to worry that if Izzy was who she thought, they were all in big trouble.

Izzy stared up at Rose and said one word. “Yes.”

Rose looked at her wondering what she meant. “Yes what?” Izzy just smiled. “Oh, you heard what I was thinking. You shouldn’t be able to do that unless we’re…” Rose couldn’t finish the sentence as the implications overwhelmed her. Then, Rose began to think about things that had been happening. Her hand slipped to her abdomen and she looked at Izzy. Tears formed her eyes as her mind began to race with the possibilities. Izzy smiled brightly at her.

“Not yet,” she said mysteriously, as she looked at Rose’s hand laying protectively over her stomach.

“Right.” Rose answered, recovering from the shock of what all this might mean and how the Doctor might react. “So touching you won’t be bringing reapers I take it?”

Izzy looked at her solemnly. “Oh no. I’ve been taught about paradoxes. They’re very bad and ten times worse that blowing up Nana’s car.” At the realization of what she said, she slapped her hand over her mouth and looked up at Rose with wide eyes before dropping her hand. “Please don’t tell Daddy I said that.” Rose looked at her and then burst out laughing.

“Yep, you’re definitely your Dad’s child. We’ll talk about blowing up cars later and might be best if you not tell me anymore.” Izzy smiled and nodded in agreement.

Rose looked around and back down at Izzy. “We need to work on getting out of here. I’m not waiting for that evil Valeyard bloke to come back for us and I know the Doctor has to be on his way. Rose reached in her pocket and pulled out the sonic the Doctor had given her. Izzy smiled brightly when she saw it. “You ready, Izzy?” Izzy jumped up with the crystal that produced the small amount of light they had and held her hand out to Rose and helped pull her up. “Thanks. Have you explored any?”

“Yes, we appear to be in a square holding cell consisting of thirty square feet of space with a spatial and temporal buffering field around it.” Rose looked down and smiled at her even brighter.

“Definitely your father’s daughter. So, we need to figure out where that portal is he used to toss me in here. Might be able to open it with the sonic.” Izzy lead her to the opposite end of the cell and pointed. “Well done, Izzy!” Izzy grinned and once again Rose marveled at the resemblance. She paused with the sonic pointed at the space Izzy had pointed to in the dark cell.

“Izzy, you said not you. But I am… that is to say that I might be...” Rose stumbled with the words unable to actually say what she was thinking.

“Umm, you might be. I’m not sure. I’m not the oldest if that helps,” Izzy said, chewing on her lip and fidgeting. Rose stared and wasn’t sure if she was quite ready to hear that, much less confirmation that her nausea had far more significance than just the flu.

“Right. Well guess I’ll have to deal with all this later. First thing we have to do is get you out of here and find the Doctor.”

“What about the Valeyard? What if he’s out there waiting for us?” Izzy asked, looking worriedly at Rose.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll deal with him if I have to. I’ll be damned if he’s gonna manipulate me or hurt my daughter,” Rose said, with steely conviction. Rose pulled out the sonic and began working on the portal.

**************************

Back in the forest, the Doctor felt the blackness close in on him after hearing some strange music. Rose and Jack disappeared and he couldn’t feel Rose’s psychic signature anymore. “No!” he shouted out, as fear gripped him that he had failed to protect Rose from the dangers of this place. He tried to focus his feelings and emotions and not allow them to control him and felt himself drawn forward. Soon a room materialized around him. He found himself in some room reminiscent of a medieval castle, standing before a giant wooden door.

“Blimey, that’s a big door,” he muttered, as he gazed up at the door which was twice as tall as him. He stepped forward and grasped the metal ring to open it but paused. A snickering voice whispered in the back of his mind. Something familiar yet not was behind that door. A voice spoke behind him startling him a bit.

“You sure you want do that?” the image of his ninth self asked, leaning against the wall arms crossed in front of him.

“Oh really? Is that the best you got? Old me? Come on, I expect better than that,” the Doctor stated with bravado.

His ninth self grinned. “Right, you are filled with piss and vinegar aren’t you? Might not be for long after you open that door. Course, you’re arrogant enough to do it anyway. Just like your little blonde shop girl. Wonder how it all turned out for her?”

The Doctor’s eyes darkened and his countenance stiffened with anger. “What have you done to Rose?” he asked in a tight voice.

The Eternal’s image shifted and morphed into a dark version of his Rose. She had wild curly blond hair with dark eye makeup and ruby red lips. She was dressed in black leather pants and boots with a tight black camisole that didn’t cover her midriff. She wore a leather studded collar around her neck and had a wicked smile on her face. She sauntered over to him. “Mmmm wouldn’t ya like to know. Maybe what’s behind that door fulfilled all my needs. Oh, I did have such needs,” she purred. “He’s so powerful and masterful. Everything you’re not. He knows how to satisfy a woman if you know what I mean,” she told him, mimicking Rose’s grin which showed that bit of tongue.

“Stop it! I know you’re not her. Do you think I wouldn’t know my own Rose? Please spare me the Eternal dramatics.”

The dark Rose before him pouted. “Fine, go through the door and find out for yourself. Course, I really don’t think you’re ready to see what’s behind that door cause that would mean accepting who you really are. You haven’t actually done that. You’re still fighting your inner self and who you are meant to be. Don’t know how you can actually save your pretty little blonde wolf till you admit who you are. Right now, you’re just, I dunno a pathetic copy of that blundering, angst ridden Time Lord who still can’t pull it together enough to get anything done.”

“Are you finished?” the Doctor asked coldly, not in the mood to entertain the Eternal.

“Guess so. Good luck Time Lord, you’re gonna need it.” Bad Rose stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. The Doctor turned around and ran his hand through his hair as he faced the door.

“Right, nothing like the Eternal of Chaos appearing as a sadistic version of Rose questioning my Time Lord abilities and insulting my sexual prowess,” he said, sniffing indignantly. He stared at the door as if it were his nemesis. He closed his eyes and focused on the one thing that kept him fighting: Rose. He opened his eyes and pulled the metal ring and the door swung open. He stepped through into the darkened room lit with candlelight and the glow of the fireplace. He felt the Valeyard before he saw him. He stared at the cocky image of himself still dressed all in black leather and leaning against the wall near the fireplace with a grin on his face.

“No!” he whispered.

The Valeyard stepped out from the fireplace further into the room.

“Oh, have you come for what’s now mine?” he asked, smirking.

“Giver her back to me, Valeyard!”

The Valeyard laughed. “Poor pathetic sod. You’ve lost her. She’s mine now and oh is she mine. In every way imaginable and a few which are not.”

“No, Rose would never betray me.” The Valeyard laughed almost maniacally

“Betray you, you weren’t even a thought on her mind and trust me, I’d know. Mmm would I know. She is delicious. Got to love those little noises she makes when she really lets go. Oh, but then you haven’t heard those have you?” He shook his head. “No, you were too busy trying to control her. Not me mate. I relish in her power. I’m not afraid to let the wolf out. Oh she is glorious. All that delicious power just waiting for the right time to be released. I released her several times. All that creamy white skin and molten hot brown eyes and that body. So toned and fit and ready for a good hard workout. Not that you understand that,” He scoffed.

“Shut it! I won’t listen to one more foul, lewd word out of your mouth. I want Rose now!”

The Valeyard picked up a martini glass and took a sip. “Tough. Piss off. She’s mine now. Unless, that is, you want to challenge me for her? Winner takes all so to speak.”

“What sort of challenge?”

“If you really wanted her, you wouldn’t even ask. You’d of just agreed. You’re weak and scared. You don’t deserve her.”

“Tell me what your challenge is. I want to know the rules so I can beat you.”

He grinned. “Ha! Maybe you do have a bit of spunk in you. All right. If I win, I get your life energy. All of it until you are nothing but a dried up husk.”

“And if I win, I get Rose and you are banished, never to touch either of our timelines or that of our descendants.”

“Agreed.”

The Valeyard whipped out his sonic, long, black and studded with silver with spikes at the end. “I believe this is our weapon of choice.”


	55. Game Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack overcame the nightmares he was forced to endure but Rose doesn’t know this or even where he is. Rose found the Valeyard who was holding a little girl prisoner. The child, Izzy, is the daughter of Rose and TenII from the future. Rose and Izzy are trying to find a way out of their imprisonment while TenII is facing off against the Valeyard. The Valeyard has challenged him to a duel…
> 
> Super big thank you to who_in_whoville who betaed this chapt and helped make it so much better than it was. Oh, but any mistakes are all mine as I tinkered with it after she saw it. One more chapt to go!

The Doctor watched as the Valeyard cockily tossed his sonic in the air and caught it behind his back with an arrogant smirk. His sonic was longer and thicker than the Doctor’s, and it had a red light on the end.

“An upgraded model,” the Doctor murmured. “All right. I’ve got a few new tricks as well.”

“Well, Old Me, no sense putting off your death any longer than necessary. Let’s get it to it.”

“So what, I have to knock you out, steal your sonic?” the Doctor asked as he slowly moved around the room.

“What no death?” the Valeyard asked, with eyebrows raised. “Oh, yes, that’s right! You don’t do that, do you? What ever happened to all the blood, anger revenge?” he asked with a grin as he relaxed, leaning against a table.

“I got better,” the Doctor answered, with a low serious voice. The Valeyard rolled his eyes.

“Right. That was her job wasn’t it. Well, not that it matters cause you’re gonna be dead and I’m gonna be shagging all that power right out of our delicious Rose after we’re done here, but let’s say you have to overcome my not so unsubstantial skills at warfare and sonic mastery.”

“All right, you arrogant bastard. Game on,” the Doctor responded, activating his sonic. The Valeyard looked at the Doctor’s sonic and laughed.

“As the cliché says, that’s not a sonic.” The Valeyard brandished his sonic before him, the end of which popped out with metal prongs. “Now this, this is a sonic!” he said with glee as he aimed it at the Doctor and fired. A red laser beam shot out and the Doctor ducked as it impacted the wall causing an explosion of stone and dust. The Valeyard laughed. “Oh, yes! Now that’s more like it! Run, little meta crisis, cause you won’t get far in this room. This is my domain!”

The Doctor ducked down under a table and wiped his face with his hand. Blood was running down where the exploding stone and hit him. He thought of Rose being held prisoner by this psychopath and was filled with an icy calm. He focused on the layout of the room in his mind and planned his next move.

“Oh, come now, not much sport in hiding. If you expect to save our little temptress of time, you’re gonna have to come out,” the Valeyard sing songed obnoxiously, as he stalked around the room. The Doctor watched him, and as soon as the Valeyard was right where he wanted him, he leapt out and soniced a heavy metal chandelier holding candles. The chandelier came crashing down, clipping the Valeyard, who dashed out of the way.

"That was uncalled for! No more games,” the Valeyard said with a gruff voice as he faced the Doctor.

“But, I like games. Especially ones that keep Rose safe,” the Doctor replied while he circling the Valeyard, who growled and stood tall, eyes blazing.

“I’ll show you games!” the Valeyard shouted and fired the sonic, which was aimed at the Doctor. Before the Doctor could react, he was thrown backwards and slammed against a wall with an oomph. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Valeyard grinning and sonicing various crystal glassware which shattered and sending the shards flying across the room toward him. He ducked and covered his face while changing sonic settings and activating it. Several of the shards stopped in midair and fell to the ground. A few continued toward their target, and the Doctor grunted when he felt several shards pierce his arms and legs. The Valeyard laughed.

“You know, this is a bit fun. I get to torture a former version of myself with no repercussions to my own timeline. Then, after I’m done, I get the juicy little blonde all to myself to play with for as long as I want. You know you pathetic little half breed, she enjoyed riding me like a stallion. I mean, why wouldn’t she want the thoroughbred instead of the old, boring gelding.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Was I always this annoying? Enough with the evil megalomaniac taunting. Let’s finish this.”

The Valeyard grinned. “Right. Time to die.” The Valeyard quickly shot another laser beam toward the Doctor, who dodged and rolled away, avoiding it. He took shelter behind a chair which he soniced and sent flying through the air striking the Valeyard who let out an enraged grunt. The Doctor quickly scanned the room and began sonicing heavy candlesticks and books, which pummeled the Valeyard.

“Pathetic!” shouted the Valeyard, who soniced the Doctor, throwing him against the wall, then lifted him up and slammed him against the ceiling. After a few moments of dangling him from the ceiling, he changed settings, plummeting the Doctor to the Floor. The Doctor winced in pain as he felt his arm snap, but never let go of his sonic.

The Valeyard smirked and took his time to walk over and stand over him, gloating. “This was all too easy,” he bragged. “Oh, and this is gonna hurt you more than me. Extraction of life force does sting a little,” he said, grinning as he prepared to activate his sonic.

**************************

 

While the Doctor was confronting the Valeyard, Rose and Izzy were working on opening the portal. Each second it took, Rose was becoming more desperate and frustrated. She turned to Izzy. “Don’t suppose he taught you how to open doors with this thing?”

“It depends on the type of lock, the energy being used to operate the lock, the environment and the sonic settings,” she answered with authority.

Rose sighed. “Of course it does.” She reached over, smiling, and grasped Izzy’s hand. “Thanks for trying.” Izzy beamed at her and embraced her in an encouraging hug.

As Rose continued to work her way through the various settings, including the one that played the Macarena, which Izzy giggled at, an Eternal appeared. Rose felt the hairs on her neck stand on end and whipped around sonic in hand. Before her was the Eternal Hope, who was smiling and appeared quite relaxed and at peace.

“Hope, what are you doing' here? Can you help Izzy and me get out of here?”

“Hello, Rose, Izzy. You know I can’t do that, but I thought it might be time to talk about the prize you won."

“Prize? What Prize?” Rose asked.

“You and Turmoil did win the game of crochet. We did promise you a prize for your achievement, and I am here to fulfill our obligation to you.”

“But, you can’t help Izzy and I get out of here?”

“As with all things, there are rules. I cannot intervene or assist you with your task. I can, however, provide you with an advantage to help you in what is to come.”

Rose stared at her as Izzy gripped her hand. “All right. Explain this prize to me.”

Hope smiled brightly. “You and your Doctor share a connection. I believe I could enhance this connection which may allow the two of you to access to each others strengths.”

“Right, what’s the downside?”

“One cannot have strength without weakness. In all things there is balance.”

“So, you're saying I can help him be stronger but if we muck it up, we could make each other weaker as well. Sort of like emotions and memories, yeah?”

Hope inclined her head. Rose stared at her and then looked down at Izzy. She gently touched Izzy’s head and looked into her eyes so filled with trust and love. “All right. I’ll take that chance. What do I have to do?”

“It is already done,” Hope answered. “Stay true to your path, Rose Tyler.” Hope disappeared into the shadows.

Rose turned to Izzy. “Right, we have a door to open.” Rose aimed the sonic and after two more tries, the darkness parted before them. Rose took Izzy’s hand smiling down at her. “Ready?”

Izzy nodded. “Let’s go help Daddy.” They stepped into the room which was now in shambles due to the Doctor’s battle with the Valeyard. Rose gasped as she saw the Valeyard standing over the Doctor who lay crumpled on the floor.

The Valeyard looked up at her smiled evilly. “Hello, Love! Fitting you and the young one are here to witness my victory over this weak facsimile of me. Now you’ll see the true power of a Time Lord!”

Before Rose could say anything, Jack appeared in the doorway on the opposite side of the room. He charged the Valeyard who shot him with the laser on his sonic. Rose screamed “No!” Izzy gripped Rose’s hand tightly and watched the Doctor, silently pleading for him to get up.

During this scuffle, the Doctor was able to stand up. The Valeyard turned to him, sneering, his sonic pointed at the Doctor. Rose stared at the Doctor and focused on opening her psychic connection to him. She poured all her love for him and anger at the Valeyard through their connection. What once was a somewhat tentative connection was now open and flowing like a geyser. The Doctor stood up taller and blinked as he felt the full impact of Rose’s unique sensory perception of the universe flow through him. 

This was the power the Valeyard wanted and it was amazing. He was in awe of what Rose had gifted to him even if she didn’t realize she was doing it. She was a conduit to temporal energy. He tamped down any inner dark temptations and focused on Rose and then turned it on the Valeyard. He soniced the Valeyard backward, throwing him completely across the room. The enraged Valeyard jumped up and fired his sonic laser, but the Doctor had already set a counter measure in his sonic, disabling the laser, which flew from the Valeyard‘s hand.

Jack gasped awake across the room and stumbled up. He looked at the Doctor and nodded. Rose and Izzy moved to stand next to the Doctor.

“What! You think you’ve won! Never! I have the Eternal of Chaos on my side. You can’t defeat Chaos!” the Valeyard shouted.

“Doctor,” Rose whispered. He turned to her, his eyes dark and fathomless with anger and power.

“Daddy, please,” Izzy said, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

“Our daughter,” he whispered, and looked at Rose, the anger and vindictiveness ebbing from his eyes. He heard the Valeyard scrambling under a table for his dropped sonic and the Doctor whipped around soniced a crystal carafe filled with brandy, which exploded and set the Valeyard on fire. The Valeyard howled with rage as he reached for a table cloth to put out the flames.

The Doctor turned toward the full length mirror on the wall near the Valeyard and aimed his sonic at it. “Jack, the mirror.“ he called out. 

Jack raced over to the infuriated and singed Valeyard and shoved him at the mirror.

The Valeyard screamed “Nooooo!“ as he became ensnared in the mirror, slowly sinking into the liquid silver. The Doctor walked over to stand next to Jack as they looked in the mirror and saw the burnt Valeyard snarling at them. The Doctor picked up the smoking cloth the Valeyard had used to put out the flames and tossed it across the mirror. He turned to find Rose hugging Izzy to her and looking into his eyes.

“Is it..is it over?“ Rose asked.

“Yes, Love. It’s done.” He walked across the room and dropped to his knees before Izzy. “Hello,” he said softly, his voice filled with awe and love.

Izzy stepped away from Rose and looked at him. She gently traced a finger down his cut face. “You’re hurt.”

He smiled. “It’s nothing. I’ll be all right.”

“You always say that,” she responded, solemnly. She smiled brightly and touched the pink stone on her necklace. “I think I’m going home now that the Valeyard is gone.” She turned and hugged Rose. Rose looked into her eyes and her chest warmed with a strong connection.

“I’ll see you soon,” Rose said, her voice thick with emotion.

Izzy grinned and waved goodbye as a light shined from the pendent and enveloped her until she faded from the room.

Rose looked at the Doctor. “Do you think she’s all right?”

He stood up wincing as his injured arm moved. “Yep! That pendent was made of Tardis coral. Think I have some jewelry making in my future.”

Jack walked up to them and Rose threw herself into his arms. “Hey now, it’s okay. Not that I’m objecting to a little loving,” he said with a grin.

“Jack, I saw what they did to you,” Rose said with tears cascading down her face.

Jack’s smile faded. “Yeah. Not the greatest time I’ve ever had. “That kid the one we needed to spring from this place?”

“Yeah,” Rose answered quietly.

“So, she’s free and what? What exactly happened to her and who was she?” he asked.

“She’s safe,” the Doctor answered. “As for who she is, well that’s a bit complicated. All that really matters is that we’ve freed her and she’s back home with her family,” the Doctor explained, looking into Rose’s eyes with tenderness and love. Rose nodded back at the Doctor, sniffing and wiping tears from her eyes.

“Guess that’s an explanation we can have after we’re out of this place,” Jack said, looking uncomfortable as he stared at the black void in the wall that Rose and Izzy had emerged from.

“Definitely after we’re out of here,“ the Doctor agreed, and then turned to Jack with a look of confusion on his face. “Jack, how did you get here? Last time I saw you was in the woods,” the Doctor asked.

Jack pulled a smooth stone out of his pocket. “Perry,” he said, smiling sadly and looking at the polished rock in his palm.

“Of course, empathic stone,” the Doctor whispered.

Jack nodded. “I touched the stone and it just helped me focus on you two and the manor and I remembered how at home I feel with you,” Jack answered, his voice cracking a bit.

Rose squeezed him hard. “Told you. We’re family,” she said, as she reached for the Doctor’s uninjured arm. The three of them just stood there for a moment holding each other.

“Right, well, time to get out of here. Don’t know about you two, but I have had enough of this Eternal torment. As if The Valeyard wasn‘t enough, there were cheeky Eternals appearing as old me and Bad Rose,” the Doctor said, shaking his head as he led them toward the large wooden door to leave.

“Bad Rose?” Jack asked. “Now that’s a story I want to hear!”

Rose cocked an eyebrow and looked at the Doctor. “Yes, well, maybe another time. Let’s just get out of here,” he said, babbling . As they left, the Doctor paused at the door and turned back to the room and eventually the partly covered up mirror where he saw the Valeyard staring back at him. He shivered and backed out of the room shutting the door behind him.

Rose and Jack fashioned a sling to secure his broken arm and they continued on their way through what they believe to be a castle. They crossed two more medieval style rooms before finding themselves in the main hall of the castle. All around them there were tapestries hanging on the walls. While the Doctor raced around the room knocking and sonicing walls, trying to find another way out, Rose and Jack examined the tapestries.

“Jack, look at this,” Rose said, pointing to a tapestry in front of her.

Jack walked over and gasped, “Hey, that’s me in the Preserve. Damn I look good,” he said, and nudged her. Rose rolled her eyes.

“That’s not the point. Look at all the tapestries.” The two of them walked until they came to one depicting people gazing up at a fountain in between two forces, one shining light and the other flames. “The fountain,” Rose whispered. She quickly ran over to another tapestry. It showed she the Doctor and Perry in the mystical garden before the Tree of Knowledge. “Doctor!” she shouted. The Doctor stopped and saw Rose and Jack staring at a tapestry. He raced over next to them.

“What? What is it?” he asked, and then he recognized what they were looking at. “It’s in the tapestries,” he whispered.

He quickly made a circuit of the room and saw everything from the images of the Manor with spires of coral around it to facing the Hadry, the Plumianto warriors holding up the sacred pig and the Valeyard facing the Doctor with Rose and Izzy between them. He scanned the tapestries with his sonic and found them ripe with the same unstable rift energy he found in the well at the manor which he had used to rescue Rose months earlier. He tapped his sonic against his face as he paced muttering to himself.

Jack and Rose walked around looking at the tapestries until Jack focused on something in a darkened alcove and walked toward it, followed by Rose.

“Jack, what is it?” She followed closely behind him and paused next to him, engrossed by the tapestry before them. Jack shouted for the Doctor, who dashed over to them. Together they stared at the tapestry in shock. It was an image of the library at the manor. Just the library with no people or beings of any kind.

“What does it mean?” Rose asked. Jack rubbed his face and then his eyes lit up. He looked at the Doctor who had the same expression on his face. They both grinned and started laughing. “What? What is it?” Rose demanded. As Jack and the Doctor calmed down and turned to her stones began to fall and the entire castle trembled as if they were in an earthquake.

The Doctor looked up as dust began raining down on them. “We appear to have overstayed our welcome.” He looked back at the tapestry and walked up to it sonic in hand.

“Doctor, you’re not thinking that the tapestry is the way home?” Rose asked, shaking her head.

He looked back at her with a grin on his face. “Why not? It’s the only image that’s vacant, with nothing going on in it. Besides, we can’t stay here.” As if to confirm his statement, a stone fell nearby, and Rose jumped closer to him.

“Don’t know 'bout you, sweetheart, but I’m all for jumping into the tapestry. I’ve had enough of this place,” Jack said as a wall crumbled on the other side of the chamber.

“Right, we all go through together,” the Doctor said. Rose gripped his good arm and Jack held onto her other hand. The Doctor pointed the sonic at the tapestry and they watched as the threads appeared to move, almost as if they were being unwoven.

“One, two, allons-y!” the Doctor shouted as they simultaneously walked into the tapestry. There was a sensation of wind blowing fiercely around them and the threads of the tapestry tickled them twining and intertwining around them. Just when the Doctor thought they would be lost, he heard the song of the TCB calling to him. Using his enhanced connection to Rose, he was able to focus in on her song and follow it home. The three of them found themselves lying on a Persian rug in the library at the manor surrounded by Pete, Jake, Malcolm, Mandy and two other Torchwood agents who raced over to them.

“The Doctor’s hurt,” Rose gasped, breathing heavily from their trip.

“I’m fine, look after Rose and Jack first,” the Doctor said, groaning and sitting up.

Jack sat up and rubbed his face. “Helluva ride, Doc!”

The Torchwood team helped them up and began examining them. They had residual traces of rift energy but other than the Doctor’s broken arm, cuts and contusions, they were fine. “Everything okay with the rift, Pete?” the Doctor asked, concerned about any leaking energy.

“It spiked just as you were coming through but looks to be back to normal. Malcolm?” Pete said, turning to Malcolm.

“Yes, well, there appears to have been an overload of rift energy during your transport from the Netherworld to uh here not unlike the incident at the well..” Malcolm reported, fiddling with his head gear nervously. The Doctor winced at the mention of the well and looked at Pete nervously.

“Malcolm filled me in. You two are not to do anything like this ever again without first coming to me. As a matter of fact, we’re all going to take a vow right here and now to that effect. If you break that vow, Jackie hears about all of this. Am I clear?” Pete said, sternly.

Rose and the Doctor nodded. Pete looked to Jack and raised an eyebrow.

Jack grinned, saluted and said, “Yes, sir!” After Pete’s speech, it was a whirlwind of activity while readings here discussed, analyzed and everything packed up to go back to Torchwood. Pete informed them they were only missing for sixteen hours which was a relief to Rose who didn’t want to explain anything to her Mum. As everyone was walking out, Rose reached into her pocked and pulled out Jake’s Godziilla key chain.

“Thanks for the good luck, Jake.”

Jake grabbed it and put it in his pocket. “You gonna be all right?” he asked, staring seriously at her.

“Yeah,” she answered with a nod.

“You sure? Don’t give me the answer you’d give Pete. We’re mates Rose, Mates stick together even in the tough times, especially the tough times.”

Rose smiled and hugged him. “Thanks, Jake. Everything should be fine now that we’re home and don’t have a bunch of angry Eternals after us.” Jake stared at her. “I promise, if I need help, I’ll call you. Now, go on and get home. You must be exhausted.” He nodded, smiled and left.

After everyone was gone, the Doctor walked up and grasped her hand. Jack walked up on the other side of Rose.

“You know, I’m beat but don’t feel like hitting the sack just yet. Think I’ll take a stroll in the garden and clear my head,” Jack told them, making his way out toward the garden.

“Anything you want to talk about Jack?” the Doctor asked, with concern.

“Naw, you two go on up. Rose looks done for. We’ll talk in the morning.” He leaned over and kissed Rose on the forehead and walked out. The Doctor tugged at Rose’s hand and led her up the stairs. When they entered the bedroom, she stared at the bed. He sat down and pulled his sonic out to work on mending his broken arm. Rose paced nervously to the darkened stained glass window as if she could see through it to the garden.

“Rose?” the Doctor asked, worried about how she was acting.

“Doctor, about the Valeyard…”

“Rose, let’s talk about it in the morning. I promise, I’ll tell you all I know.”

“No, it’s not that it’s…. Doctor, something happened and I can’t...” She didn’t finish as tears fell down her face which was contorted in the most misery he had ever seen from her.


	56. Endings and Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this story! There are more stories in this series. Next to be posted is a story about the wedding of Rose and TenII. Marriage and Zombies. I’m sure you all know that this wedding would not be normal. It’s the Doctor and Rose after all. I am also quite sure the Eternals will pop up as well to congratulate them on completing their tasks and maybe cause more problems.

“Rose, whatever he did to you…”

“But that’s it, Doctor. He did do something and I let him.” She backed against the bedroom wall, slid to the floor and drew her knees to her chest wrapping her arms around them like she was trying to curl up and hide from the world. “I let him and nothing can change what happened.” With gulping breaths, she sobbed into her knees.

The Doctor immediately sprinted across the room and knelt by her. “Whatever happened -- it wasn’t your fault, Rose. You don’t understand who he is.”

She lifted her head up and looked into his eyes. “I should have known what he was doing; should have known it wasn’t you and should’ve been stronger,” she cried. “I’m so sorry, Doctor.”

“Shhh now. Whatever happened it’s over and I’m never going to let him near you again. He’s trapped in the Netherworld now." He gently squeezed her shoulder.

“But I remember it. I know what happened.”

The Doctor scooted up by her and leaned against her still cradling his injured arm. “Rose, you don’t have to talk about it, but it might help. I promise I won’t be angry.”

Rose pulled back and stared at him. “But you should be, Doctor,” she whispered, shaking her head. The Doctor didn’t say anything waiting for her to continue. 

“He was being so cruel and power hungry. He was nothing like you and yet he looked so much like you. He kept talking about time and power and then he had his arms around me and I don’t know what happened. I tried to pull myself out and I was on a bed and you were there but it wasn’t really you. I should have known but I couldn’t stop it until…” Rose choked out, and burst into heaving sobs. The Doctor stilled as the full impact of what she was describing hit him. If the Valeyard had been in the same room at that time, he would have killed him without mercy.

“Doctor, I’m sorry. I don’t know how I stopped it. I did, but it was too late. I don’t know how I pushed him out of my mind. He was furious.”

“But you did stop him,” the Doctor said softly. “He’s a part of Other Me and had familiarity with you. It would have been easy for him to mimic what we have and use that against you." He spoke softly and encouraging to her. "He overpowered you, Rose. I know what it’s like to have someone violate your mind. Don’t you even think it was anything other than a violation.”

“How can you be so understanding when I was horrible to you after the Cerva?” she asked tearfully.

“Oh Rose, because I understand in a way that you didn’t at that time. We were both so insecure about each other.” He leaned over and grasped her hand. “But, we’re not anymore. We’re stronger now. If we let his actions damage our relationship, our trust, then he wins. I’m not about to let that selfish bastard steal that away or hurt you anymore than he already has.”

Rose leaned over and carefully hugged him so not to further hurt his arm. She whispered “I love you” into his ear.

He leaned over and kissed her ever so gently. “Rose Tyler, I love you too.”

She pulled back and looked at him sniffing and wiping her face. “Who is he anyway? I mean, why did he want me or Izzy?”

The Doctor’s face darkened and he looked across the room. He shut his eyes and sighed. “All I know is that he seems to pop up in my time line periodically to wreak havoc. He tries to alter my timeline and steal my regenerations. He says he’s a future incarnation of original me. He’s the part of me I never wanted you to see." He paused and swallowed hard.

"I’m so old Rose, and I’ve seen so much. In all that time, I’ve learned to suppress the darkness inside of myself and before you argue with me, yes there is darkness. A Time Lord is all about control. We are taught from a young age to control all emotions, rage, anger, empathy, love. The Valeyard is the distillation of all the anger, hatred, envy and jealousy I buried within myself. You may have seen a glimpse of that darkness in my Ninth self. I was pretty much on the edge… and then I met you.” He turned and stared at her and smiled. “Yes, you, Rose Tyler. You helped me find that light, good place again, to have faith and to wonder at the universe and appreciate it instead of being filled with anguish, hatred and bitterness.”

Rose looked at him, emotion filling her eyes. “Doctor,” she whispered. “My Doctor,you made me better too.” She leaned over and kissed him gently and touched her forehead to his.

She pulled away and gripped his uninjured hand. “Doctor, are you telling me this Valeyard is a future regeneration of Other You in our home universe?” she asked.

“That’s right.”

“Why does he look like you?”

“Probably to get close to you. He aligned himself with the Eternal of Chaos. Who knows what sort of pact he made. Maybe he can look like whoever he wants now. Doesn’t matter. He’s trapped in the Netherworld.” Rose nodded as she processed everything he was telling her.

“So, he wanted me 'cos of my link to the TCB and the time vortex? But what about Izzy?”

“Leverage. If all else failed, I think he would have used Izzy as leverage against you and me. I shudder to think what else he may have done to her,” the Doctor said and gripped her tightly to him. In the back of his mind, he worried about how they would handle Izzy’s eventual kidnapping. He knew that when Izzy was born, they would have to talk about what was to come. Even though he knew he and Rose would be there to save her, it still terrified him at the thought that they would not be able to do anything other than wait.

After a moment, Rose looked up at him. “He can’t get into my mind again can he?” she asked, worry tingeing her voice.

“No. I won’t let that happen. When you opened our link back there, something changed. I feel more connected to you now and I’ll make sure no one ever violates either of us again.” Rose looked at him and nodded.

“I met the Eternal of Chaos,” she told him, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. “He was Gene Simmons.”

The Doctor burst out laughing. “You are kidding me!”

Rose smiled. “No, he was a bit full of himself. Then, he turned into Al Pacino. He wasn’t very pleasant. Kept wanting to talk about our tasks and insisting everything I did brought chaos. It didn’t did it, Doctor?” she asked, looking up at him biting her bottom lip.

“No! Course not. Not that you and I don’t shake things up a bit. We did help settle some Trash People, helped send the Plumianto Warriors on their way, helped Vishal find a good school, restored a lake and don’t forget Gar. Thanks to us, he’s with family now. See, we did help people.”

Rose smiled at him. “Yeah, we did and we saved Jack.” Her smile fell a bit. “He talked about Jack. He wasn’t too pleased that you rescued him. Doctor, I think he put Jack in the Preserve. He did terrible things to Jack in the Netherworld. He made Jack live out horrible nightmares or memories or something. He showed me. We have to take care of Jack,” she told him, seriously.

“Do I detect a new Rose Tyler project?” he asked, with raised eyebrows.

She smiled. “Maybe. Seem to have an awful lot of projects lately. You’re not forgetting we have Christmas coming up and the wedding in just eight weeks.”

The Doctor groaned. “Do we have to still spend the week with your Mum?” he whined.

“Doctor, that was the deal for Pete covering for us. It won’t be so bad. It’s Christmas.” Rose smiled and nudged his good shoulder. He didn’t look convinced. “There will be freshly baked biscuits,” she promised.

He looked over at her and smiled a little. “Chocolate?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. She nodded. “Banana bread?” he asked. She smiled, kissed him and told him, “I’m sure there will be.”

“Well, all right then, if we have to. Your Mum’s not gonna make us decorate cookies or anything?”

“Doctor, it’s the holidays and decorating cookies is part of it.” He sighed dramatically. “We could bring our own fun cookie cutters and there might be edible ball bearings,” she whispered.

He turned and grinned. “I suppose I’ll do it for you of course and maybe Tony. Someone has to set a good example for him after all. Ooo you know, I think we need TARDIS shaped cookie cutters!” he said, his eyes filled with ideas and all sorts of mischief.

“Sounds great,” she said, snuggling up to his side.

“You know, that bed would be a lot more comfortable than the floor,” he suggested.

“A long, hot bath would be better,” she whispered, and grinned at him. She stood up and helped him up taking the sonic from him so she could work on his injuries as they luxuriated in a warm fragrant bath to wash away the remnants of the Netherworld.

##

Later in the day, after the Doctor had recovered, and while Rose was on a shopping trip, the Doctor found Jack lounging in the game room watching of all things a Hercules movie. “Jack, you up for a trip?”

Jack looked up at the Doctor. “I thought Rose took the car for her shopping trip?”

“Car? Really Jack, why use a car when you have the TARDIS?” he asked, hands in his coat pockets rocking back on his heals looking pleased with himself.

Jack jumped up grinning. “I’m in!” he shouted, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

“We have to close a little predestination paradox,” the Doctor explained, grinning with excitement.

Jack stopped and stared at him. “You serious?”

“Yup!” he said. “We have to make a couple of trips into the past.” Jack followed him into the TARDIS as the Doctor set coordinates for the year 1385.

“So, what is it that we need to do?” Jack asked, as he watched the Doctor dance around the controls.

“Welll, we have to do a bit of vandalism, a bit of graffiti if you will,” the Doctor answered, as the TARDIS materialized.

“Graffiti?” Jack asked skeptically. “What kind of graffiti?”

“Oh you know, your basic ancient eternal hieroglyphics carved into stone obelisks and a bit of old high Gallifreyan mixed with ancient Earth alchemy symbols so that no one but me can read it,” the Doctor explained, while holding onto the console as the TARDIS moved through time.

“Okay, and where are we doing this vandalism and what kind of gear should I bring for when the local law enforcement comes to throw us in jail?”

“Jaack, ye of little faith. There won’t be anyone mucking about. We’re landing at the location where the manor is built just after the original 12th century structure burnt to the ground.”

“Wait a minute. Why then? And how do you know we need to do this?” Jack asked, as the TARDIS landed with a thud.

“Oi, still a Time Lord despite certain human traits!" the Doctor retorted. "As to why this time period, well we’re doing it now cause no one should be around. And as to why us, well, let’s just say the messages were personal to me. Now then, we’ll need that bag over there,” the Doctor said motioning to a duffel bag. Jack just looked at him askance for a moment.

The Doctor noticed his hesitation and tugged at his hair in frustration. “Jack, you understand what a predestination paradox is. I have to do this to close the loop. If the markings aren’t inscribed where I saw them to clue me in as to how to find Rose when she was lost in the Netherworld, a rather unpleasant paradox will be created that will affect not just Earth but several planets and races. This affects you too, Jack.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, I get it. I don’t like it but I get it. I trust you, Doc.”

“Thank you, Jack,” the Doctor said, and the two men nodded to each other. Jack walked over and picked up the bag containing equipment while the Doctor shoved some things in his pocket and they set out on their mission. Jack was a bit stunned when he exited the TARDIS to find them in a courtyard with a well and several obelisks around the exterior of the circular courtyard. He dropped the bag as he watched the Doctor bound up to one of the obelisks and pat it.

“Here we are. 1385!” the Doctor shouted, and pulled out his sonic.

“So what’s next?” Jack asked, tugging his jacket closed in the brisk morning air. The garden looked quite different than he was accustomed to, having a more wild and natural look to it. It lacked the warmth and comfort of the garden at the manor. He felt on edge here as he scanned the area around them. He could see the remains of a stone structure that looked blackened and weathered which he assumed must have been the original 12th century structure the Doctor had told him about.

“Well, I’m setting the sonic to carve the hieroglyphics into these beautifully smooth obelisks so that in seven hundred and twenty seven years, Perry, Malcolm and I will arrive and find the symbols here which correlate to the symbols in the Netherworld. The Doctor activated his sonic which perfectly carved the symbols into each of the obelisks. As the Doctor worked on the obelisks, Jack found a sunny spot and lounged on a stone bench. Dressed in his jeans, light blue dress shirt and long navy coat, he smiled as he enjoyed watching the Doctor dance around carving obelisks. Finally, the Doctor stopped and turned around.

“Oi! No lounging about! There’s work to be done!”

“What? You looked like you were enjoying yourself and I was certainly enjoying the view,” he said, with a smirk and a wink.

“Enough staring at my arse. We have to get down that well.”

Jack walked over, leaned over the well and looked back at the Doctor with a quizzical look. “And, why do we have to climb down some dark, unpleasant smelling well?”

“It’s not just a well. It’s infused with rift energy and is a conduit to the Netherworld,” the Doctor told him, excitedly. “The TCB is still beneath us and some of the rift energy she‘s feeding off of runs through the well." Jack frowned.

“Have you lost your mind! Why would we want to go anywhere near anything that leads to these damned Eternals?” Jack asked, taking a few steps away from the well.

“'Cos we have to. Predestination paradox, remember? This is how I first saved Rose from the Netherworld. I found some Old High Gallifreyan writing down there and the only way it’s gonna get there is if we go down and carve it.”

“We?” Jack asked with a hint of tension in his voice.

“Oh come on, Jack! Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I might have lost some of it while the Eternals tormented me with the brother I lost to hoards of marauding aliens." His face paled and tone hardened. "Or maybe it was when they decided it would be fun to kill my lover in my arms. Kind of makes a guy a little hesitant to go a knocking on the Eternals' door if you know what I mean,” Jack answered, crossing his arms.

“Right,” the Doctored said softly, while tugging at his hair as he paced. “Maybe you can just lower me down then and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Jack nodded. “Sounds like a plan. What do you need me to do?”

They soon worked out a rope and pulley system and the Doctor strapped himself in, put on a head lamp, and was lowered down into the well. Just as he had the first time he was lowered down this well oh so many months ago, he took the same universal eddy down. When he encountered the same jolting stop several feet from the floor, he grinned. This time he was prepared and whipped out an additional cord which he affixed to the rope just above his harness.

“Ha! Gotcha this time didn’t I.” he shouted out in glee, and then gracefully lowered himself down until he could work on etching the symbols and writing. When he finished he swung back and forth on the rope admiring his work. “Gorgeous. Pity no one will see,” he murmured, as he dangled over the pool at the bottom of the well that was filled with the mystical thick, viscous black fluid sparkling with lights beneath him. He looked down and gazed at the pool thinking about his first trip down the well. He closed his eyes and sang an old Gallifreyan blessing. When he opened his eyes, he smiled. “Until younger me needs you to rescue Rose,” he whispered. He crawled back up to the harness and strapped himself in. He set his sonic with his new jettison setting, grinned and shouted out “Allons-y!” as he jettisoned up to the universal energy which shot him up and out of the well.

Unfortunately, about the time he popped out of the well, Jack was surrounded by a group of irate local villagers wielding pitchforks and screaming about witchcraft. The Doctor’s sudden emergence from the well startled them and they scrambled back away from Jack who quickly moved toward the Doctor. The Doctor stood up, dusting himself off and faced the unruly crowd who accused him of being a witch.

“Oi! I’m no witch!” he exclaimed. “Oh and to be correct, women are witches, men are warlocks. Not that we’re warlocks mind you.” He turned to Jack. “I don’t look like a witch or a warlock do I?”

“Can’t say I’ve actually met one Doc, but somehow I don’t think you look like one.” Someone in the crowd threw a rock which hit the Doctor in the shoulder and accused him of being in league with the devil.

“Ow! That’s just rude. I mean even if we were a witch or whatever, throwing rocks is uncalled for. As for the devil,” the Doctor dramatically rolled his eyes. “Really? Seriously, there’s no such thing and I’d know. Course there was the evil entity at the bottom of a pit but that was thousands of years away and in another…”

“Doc!” Jack yelled to get his attention, as more villagers arrive with swords and spears. The Doctor slowly nudged the rucksack toward Jack and soniced the pulley system so it fell into the well. At the sight of his sonic, several of the villagers screamed and began chanting “Witch, burn the witch!”

“So, there won’t be anyone about huh.” Jack said sarcastically, as he backed away from the blood thirsty crowd.

“Jack, grab the rucksack.”

“You’re worried about a rucksack now?”

“Can’t leave anything behind, don’t want alter any timelines you know.”

The crowd started to advance, weapons drawn while continuing to chant “Burn them, burn the witches!” A few threw rocks some of which hit both Jack and the Doctor.

“Uh Jack, Run!” Jack and the Doctor made it into the TARDIS with most of their gear just as the angry villagers reached them and banged against the doors. Jack turned the Doctor and burst out laughing. The Doctor grinned and ran up to set the coordinates to their next destination.

“One more trip Jack and this one will be a little tricky.”

“And the angry villagers were easy?” Jack asked still laughing.

“Oh come on Jack! That was nothing!”

“Jake was right, you are a nutter!” Jack told him, shaking his head.

Before long they had landed. Jack turned to the Doctor expectantly.

The Doctor sighed and rubbed his neck. “When Rose disappeared into the Netherworld, I had to find a way to get to her. I fell asleep at my desk trying to work it out and when I woke up the next morning, I found notes next to me written in Gallifreyan explaining what I needed to do. It was a bit odd since the TCB wouldn’t have let just anyone break into the house much less someone who could write Gallifreyan. The only conclusion was either an Eternal or I did it. Since I doubt any of the Eternals were feeling that generous, it had to be me.”

Jack stepped up to him “Which means that future you went back in time and left past you the notes,” Jack said smiling. “Clever. Dangerous but clever.”

“Exactly. So, we’re parked within the garden where no one can see and are going to do a little breaking and entering so I can leave myself a message,” the Doctor finished explaining.

“No problem, Doc. I’m an expert at covert operations. I might have snuck in and out of a few bedrooms in my time,” he bragged, grinning.

“Why am I not surprised,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “Come on, let’s get this done.” The two of them left the TARDIS and crept quietly through the garden. As they neared the house, they ducked down low and observed the darkened windows of the silent manor. The Doctor paused as he stared at the house and then smiled and turned to Jack. “So, I just explained the situation to the TCB and she’s going to let you in. You’re going to take these sheets of paper and slip them onto the desk to the left of me. Put the snow globe replica of the London Eye on top of them. This is something I can’t do Jack. I can’t chance accidentally touching earlier me and causing a paradox.”

“Gotcha. Don’t worry Doc, it’ll be fine,” Jack responded and tucked the sheets of paper in his coat.

The Doctor nodded. “Just be sure to slip out before I or anyone else sees you. I’ll stand by the door as the look out and let you know if I see anyone coming. Remember, neither Malcolm nor Perry know you yet,” the Doctor whispered to him.

The two of them darted toward the doors of the solarium grateful there was no full moon out that night. The Doctor soniced the door open with no interference from the TCB. Jack crept into the darkened room and disappeared into the house. After he left, the Doctor had a feeling he was being watched and glanced over his shoulder to see Perry standing behind him smiling.

“Good evening, Doctor,” Perry greeted him.

“Perry,” he whispered, in an emotional voice.

“All is not as it appears here is it?” Perry asked.

“No, my friend. I’m afraid, I’m not exactly who you think I am.”

Perry smiled. “You are the Doctor just not the Doctor I left in the house earlier this evening. The lovely TCB tells me that while one Doctor slumbers within her walls, another waits in the garden to achieve a mission of great importance and that the charming young man surreptitiously making his way through the dark is your assistant.”

“Yes, that sort of explains it. But Perry, you cannot tell the me that is inside the house that I was here. This is very important and could alter the course of what must happen. Do you understand?”

Perry bowed his head. “Time is like the wisteria vine. The root system is vast and complex. So much so the intertwining of the vines themselves weave themselves to spread outward from their mother vine with many cascading blooms, whose ultimate destiny is to form seed pods to create yet more vines and tendrils. So many intertwining lines, ever growing and continuing and yet what we see is nothing compared to the root system beneath which spreads just as vigorously. Thus is time, a multitude of possibilities intertwining, diverging, spreading and expanding, always expanding. Some tendrils wither and others sprout anew continuing the journey and then there are the tendrils that bloom and produce the seeds from which yet more lines emerge.”

“Perry,” the Doctor whispered, his eyes filled with admiration and sadness. “Wise and intuitive Perry. You always were so brimming with wisdom and foresight, more than anyone I‘ve known.” The Doctor blinked and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. It’s important that you…”

Perry put his hand up to stop him and smiled. “Doctor, your presence and countenance speaks as clear as the lovely TCB. You must free yourself from whatever responsibility you seem to bear over my fate. My fate is my own and I embrace it.” Perry told him, and patted him on the shoulder just as Jack emerged from the Solarium.

Jack stopped with a start and stared at Perry as if he had seen a ghost. Perry looked at him and nodded his head. “And now it is past time for you to return from whence you came. The lovely TCB informs me everything is as it should be.” With those final words, Perry backed into the luscious green of the garden and disappeared.

“Doctor,” Jack called out, his voice cracked.

“It’s all right, Jack,” the Doctor said, still staring at the spot where Perry disappeared. He turned to Jack. “Thank you for taking care of that for me. I think it’s time to go home now.”

Jack nodded and walked up to the Doctor and pulled him into a tight embrace. The two men hugged in the dark, parted and returned to the TARDIS.

********************

When Rose arrived at the manor, she found it suspiciously quiet. She walked through the house until she found a Post It note stuck to the refrigerator in the kitchen which said, “ran out to solve temporal loop, love the Doctor and Jack.” Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head and decided to enjoy some quiet “Rose” time. She spent time preparing for the holidays at the Tyler Mansion.

After everything was done, she had one more task to complete. This was something that was even more frightening than facing Eternals, the Valeyard or even Daleks. She sat on the counter in her bathroom counting the minutes until she would have an answer to a question that had been haunting her since they returned from the Netherworld. Her mobile rang startling her. The caller ID indicated it was the TARDIS.

“Doctor?” she answered “Stuck in the vortex? That’s a rubbish excuse for being late for dinner tonight.” The Doctor babbled more excuses to Rose about a dematerialization circuit being loose. Rose sighed and rolled her eyes once again.

“Doctor, we promised Pete. Let Jack help you and get home. I’ve already done all the packing so all you two have to do is show up so we can take the car. Yeah, it will be much better when we can just take the TARDIS but we agreed not to tell Mum till after the wedding… Yeah, I know, human transport is rubbish… Right, I’ll see you in a bit… Love you too.”

Rose smiled and rang off staring at the phone for a while before turning back to the task at hand. She took a deep breath, slid off the counter and walked over to where the three little white sticks were lined up all in a row. She looked at each one in turn and then sat on the rim of the bathtub staring out into space. There was no denying the result. Whether or not she was ready for this, it was happening. Fate had decided that the multiverse needed more creatures of time and that was not limited to the infant TARDIS coral growing in the TARDIS nursery.

“I’m gonna have a baby,” Rose whispered in shock. The words did not come easily and felt odd on her tongue but she had to say them, had to make it real even if it terrified her. How would she tell the Doctor? This was not something they had discussed even if they knew that it was an eventuality due to their encounter with Izzy. Even meeting her made it seem like something that would happen in the distant future, not now. She paced back and forth a few times chewing her thumb nail when she heard the TARDIS materialize in the garden.

She looked in the mirror to give herself courage but all she saw was a scared shop girl, not the confident Torchwood Agent or Defender of the Earth. She heard the Doctor and Jack bound into the house calling for her. She quickly binned the evidence confirming her suspicions. She looked in the mirror again. “What am I gonna do?” she said shakily.

She felt the TCB warm her mind with support and looked down to see a soft, plush stuffed Tardis doll sitting on the counter. She picked it up, smiled and tears of joy fell down her face as she once again whispered, “I‘m gonna have a baby.” She heard the Doctor bounding up the stairs and set the plush TARDIS down on the counter and wiped her eyes.

“Rose, there you are!” the Doctor said grinning, until he saw her face. His smile fell. “What’s wrong,” he asked softly, as he walked over and embraced her.

“Nothing, I’m fine.”

He pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. “No you’re not.” He traced a finger down her face. “Rose, talk to me.”

She smiled at him. “It’s nothing, I just… What I mean is I’m…” She giggled and more tears trickled own her face.

“Hey now, whatever it is we’ll face it together.” She smiled a bright Rose Tyler grin. “That’s better! Now then, what’s so…” he trailed off as the saw the stuffed TARDIS sitting on the counter. He put on his glasses and picked it up grinning. “This is brilliant!”

“Doctor, what I’m tryinf to tell you is that there’s gonna be another passenger on the TARDIS soon.”

The Doctor turned to Rose and looked at her confused. “Rose, you didn’t invite someone from Torchwood did you? I mean Malcolm’s all right but I really….”

“It’s not anyone from Torchwood.” She reached over for one of his hands and placed it over her stomach. “This passenger won’t be running about for a while. As a matter of fact, he or she won’t be making an appearance for a few months, more than a few months. I mean, I think we need to talk about how long before, well you know.”

“Rose Tyler, are you telling me your gestating our young?” he asked, with a grin.

She giggled. “Yeah, I think I am. That all right?”

He grinned the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. “Yeah,” he said in a voice filled emotion.

He dropped to his knees and gently kissed her stomach. “Hello future little Rose or Doctor, I’m your Daddy and we are going to have so much fun when you‘re born,” he said, with a soft voice. He stood up and looked her in the eye and cradled her face as he kissed her gently and tenderly. He pressed his forehead to hers. “Our next great adventure and it’s gonna be fantastic!” he said to her, as they embraced, jumped up and down and both screamed, “We’re gonna have a baby!”


End file.
